Community Corner
Brookfield Woman Finds Bear In Her Pool: Report
It was hot, the water was cool, and in the way. Seriously, what did anyone expect a tired ol' black bear to do?
BROOKFIELD, CT — The temperatures were as high as they have been all summer this past weekend, so don't rush to judge a black bear that took a dip in your Brookfield neighbor's pool.
Kerrilee Klesh told News8 that she and her sister saw the beast go off into the deep end on Sunday while the siblings were snacking poolside.
Both women then ran into the house, Klesh said. News8 posted the photos here.
Find out what's happening in Brookfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Connecticut residents have reported nearly 6,900 black bear sightings in Connecticut 2025, according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Sixty-five sightings have been reported in Brookfield.
Find out what's happening in Brookfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
DEEP's 2025 “State of the Bears” briefing indicates that Yogi's branching out. Over the past three years, sows with offspring have been reported in 117 municipalities, showing the continued geographic expansion of the state’s breeding bear population, particularly from western Connecticut eastward.
Officials cited an increase in human-sourced food—such as unsecured trash, bird feeders, and outdoor livestock—as a contributing factor in the rise of bear conflicts. DEEP also said public education remains a key part of their management strategy. The agency’s 2024 “Be Bear Aware” campaign generated more than 10 million media impressions and focused on ways to minimize food attractants and reduce bear encounters.
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