MORRIS, Connecticut — A bear attacked a 10-year-old boy leaving him with non-life threatening injuries in the town of Morris, and state authorities are investigating.
The attack was confirmed by State Police in the Litchfield barracks.
The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said the attack took place around 11 am Sunday and the bear has been euthanized.
The boy, according to DEEP, was treated for non-life threatening injuries. The boy was taken by ambulance to Charlotte Hungerford Hospital
Morris is located north of Bethlehem and south of Litchfield.
Bear sightings have increased in the state in recent decades. The DEEP has been tracking the increased bear population since 1980.
DEEP Recommendations:
- 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.
- Report bear sightings to the Wildlife Division (or email deep.wildlife@ct.gov).
In wilderness settings, bears usually avoid people. But food attractants near homes can cause them to grow habituated to humans and disturbances, such as dogs and other noises. Bears are attracted by bird feeders, garbage, outdoor pet food, compost piles, fruit trees, and berry-producing shrubs.
To avoid attracting bears:
- 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.
If you see a bear on your property you can either leave the bear alone and wait for it to leave or make loud noises from a safe distance to attempt to scare the bear away. After the bear leaves the property, remove anything that may have attracted it to the area.
Doug Stewart is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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