CONNECTICUT (WFSB) – So far in 2026, black bears have broken into 50 Connecticut homes, state environmental officials said.
The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection urged residents to “Be BearWise” to reduce the likelihood of conflicts.
Bear sightings were reported in all of the state’s 169 cities and towns, DEEP said.
The agency said the growing number of bears entering homes provides one of the clearest indicators of the increasing public safety risk resulting from human-bear conflicts.
The 50 break-ins were recorded in nearly two dozen municipalities. The number surpassed that of 2025’s.
Channel 3 covered an incident in Warren back in July.
DEEP said that while the numbers vary from year to year, this year’s data continue to show a concerning long-term pattern: Bear home entries have risen significantly over the past seven years and remain far higher than those reported in neighboring states.
The agency said bears try to enter homes because they have consumed human-associated food, such as birdseed, trash, and pet food, on a regular basis in residential areas. As a result, they become comfortable around people and associate them with food.
“When bears find an easy meal in our trash or at birdfeeders, they lose their natural fear of people and spend more time in our yards and urban areas, rather than in the woods, placing families and pets at risk,” said acting DEEP commissioner Emma Cimino. “Every resident has a role to play in protecting our communities by securing food sources which will help keep bears wild and neighborhoods safe.”
Here’s what DEEP recommends:
Don’t leave anything with an odor inside a screened-in porch, on or under the deck, or near the garage doors and windows. Remember, bears have a much better sense of smell than we do!Make sure kitchen trashcans have a lid to decrease odors from permeating.If your garage has an insubstantial panel door, it is best not to store food sources with odors inside, including freezers and refrigerators.If you live in or are visiting an area with a lot of bear activity, close and lock ground-floor windows and doors when possible, but especially prior to leaving the house. Be mindful of locking upper-level windows and doors that might be accessible for bears climbing stairs, ladders, and wooden porch posts. Locking screen doors isn’t enough–a curious and hungry bear can easily break through a screen.Lock vehicles and do not leave food in vehicles.
Copyright 2026 WFSB. All rights reserved.