Large Black Bear Seen In Wallingford: Police

WALLINGFORD, CT — Police are advising residents that a large black bear has been seen in the Route 15 / South Turnpike Road area in Wallingford over the past week.

Police shared the following tips regarding bear safety and “how to live alongside these amazing animals in CT.”

If You See a Bear:

Observe it from a distance. Advertise your presence by shouting and waving your arms or walk slowly away. Never attempt to feed or attract bears. Remove access to bird feeders, garbage, and other food sources.

-Never feed bears. Bears that associate food with people may become bold, aggressive, and dangerous. This may lead to personal injury, property damage, and the need to euthanize problem animals.

-Remove bird feeders from late March through November. If a bear visits a bird feeder in winter, remove the feeder.

-Wait until the morning of collection before bringing out trash. Add a few capfuls of ammonia to trash bags and garbage cans to mask food odors. Keep trash bags in a container with a tight lid and store in a garage or shed.

-Do not leave pet food outside overnight. Store livestock food in airtight containers.

-Do not put meats or sweet-smelling fruit rinds in compost piles. Lime can be sprinkled on the compost pile to reduce the smell and discourage bears.

-Thoroughly clean grills after use or store in a garage or shed.

-Encourage your neighbors to take similar precautions.

• Report bear sightings to the Wildlife Division (or email deep.wildlife@ct.gov). In the rare instance when a bear appears to be aggressive toward people, or other immediate public safety concerns involving a bear: Contact DEEP’s Environmental Conservation Police via DEEP’s 24-hour emergency dispatch line at 860-424-3333.

For more information, visit the CT DEEP website here.

“Please consider these safety measures to ensure we protect both our citizens and bears!” police wrote in a post on Facebook.