Connecticut rescuers help black bear stuck in tree in Hartford

The streets of Hartford are not normally the scene for certain wildlife, but city firefighters were called Saturday to help a black bear.

Firefighters and police officers responded outside a nursing home at 151 Hillside Ave. in an area west of Trinity College for a bear stuck on a large branch in a tree.

The department posted photographs on its Facebook page saying, “Don’t worry, Smokey, we’ll get you down safely.’'

The firefighters were joined by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, ready with a net if the bear went out on a limb.

“The tranquilizer team determined the bear was too high in the tree to tranquilize,’' said Mario Oquendo Jr., the district chief and department spokesman.

After firefighters left the scene for another call, the bear was eventually rescued, tranquilized, and relocated by DEEP, officials said.

Far beyond Hartford, the number of bear sighting has been growing statewide.

Bears have been reported in at least 153 of 169 cities and towns, but the highest concentration is in the state’s northwest corner in Litchfield County. The number of police calls regarding bears in Simsbury nearly quadrupled from 151 in 2013 to 576 in 2018, according to police statistics.

The number of bears entering Connecticut homes jumped to 21 in 2018, up from only seven in 2015. Reported bear sightings statewide increased by 38 percent in 2018, and the total of bears struck and killed by vehicles that year — 63 — was the most in state history, officials said.

Solving the problem has not been easy. Nearby states do not accept Connecticut bears because they have enough of their own, officials say.

Since bears can smell a pizza box from a quarter-mile away, they are often on the move in search of their next meal.

State DEEP spokesman Will Healey said recently that residents can help to make the state safer for bears.

“With the growing bear population in the state, residents must take steps to reduce the likelihood of an encounter with a bear,’' he said. “The intentional or unintentional feeding of black bears in residential areas dramatically increases the risk of encountering a bear, putting the bear’s life in danger. Electric fencing should be used to protect chickens, other livestock, beehives, agricultural crops, and berry bushes.’'

The state released the following guidelines regarding the animals :

1. Never feed bears.

2. Remove birdfeeders and store them by late March, or even earlier during mild weather. Store the feeders until late fall and clean up spilled seed from the ground. Place unused birdseed in a spot that is not accessible to bears, such as a closed garage. Do not store birdseed in screened porches or sheds where bears will tear screens or break windows to reach the seed.

3. Place garbage in secure, airtight containers inside a garage. Adding ammonia to trash cans and bags will reduce odors that attract bears. Periodically clean garbage cans with ammonia to reduce odors. Garbage should be placed at the curbside on the morning of collection and not the previous night.

4. Keep barbecue grills clean and then store the grills inside a garage or shed.

5. Watch dogs at all times when outside. Keep dogs on a short leash when walking and hiking because a bear might perceive a roaming dog to be a threat to its cubs.

6. Do not leave pet food outdoors or feed your pets outside.

Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com