ROCKY HILL, CT \u2014 A person asleep on a porch in Rocky Hill was injured after a brief encounter with a bear late Friday afternoon, according to the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection.<\/p>\n
DEEP Spokesperson James Fowler confirmed Monday in an email to Patch that the department received a report around 4 p.m. of “a bear-human contact” in the 800 block of New Britain Avenue.<\/p>\n
According to Fowler, DEEP staff spoke to a person in the area who reported being asleep on a porch and waking up to find a bear, which then ran off.<\/p>\n
The person sustained “a very minor abrasion” to their leg, however Fowler noted there was no increased danger to the public at this time.<\/p>\n
“While this behavior is not common, encounters and conflicts with black bears in Connecticut is increasing, especially during the fall period,” Fowler said to Patch.<\/p>\n
While not drawing any direct conclusions to Friday’s incident, Fowler noted bears enter a biological state called “hyperphagia” in the fall months, during which they forage for up to 20 hours a day to build fat reserves for the winter.<\/p>\n
According to Fowler, the animals can consume upwards of 20,000 calories a day during this period, which is about 10 times their normal intake.<\/p>\n
“When human-sourced foods are available, it’s much easier,” Fowler said. “Just one bird feeder full of sunflower seeds or a single garbage container with leftovers can provide a bear with a full day’s worth of calories in less than an hour.”<\/p>\n
That convenience draws bears toward local neighborhoods, which not only disrupts the animals’ natural foraging, but also creates risk for conflicts, Fowler said.<\/p>\n
“When bears trade acorns for backyard leftovers and bird feeders, it’s a lose-lose-lose,” Fowler said, “they learn that this behavior is rewarding, they lose their natural fear of humans and we risk more conflicts at our doorsteps.”<\/p>\n
With bears more active than ever at this time of year, Fowler said the department encourages Connecticut residents to “be bear wise.”<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, DEEP officials strongly urged residents<\/a> to follow best practices in efforts to reduce the likelihood of a conflict with a black bear this fall, and noted bears have been observed in all cities and towns across Connecticut.<\/p>\n One of the leading “public safety indicators” of rising human-bear conflicts in Connecticut is the number of bear home entries. As of October 2025, DEEP has documented nearly 40 bear home entries across 16 municipalities.<\/p>\n While these numbers can vary from year to year, this year’s data “continue to show a concerning long-term pattern demonstrated in DEEP\u2019s annual State of the Bears Report<\/a>,” officials said.<\/p>\n