Significant Increase in Black Bear Population in Connecticut
SNS Account Created to Share Bear Sightings for a Week
Local Authorities: "They Will Leave on Their Own After Waking from Hibernation"
A video showing a black bear entering a backyard in the United States and falling into hibernation has been spreading on social media, and the homeowner's response to giving the bear a place to hibernate is becoming a hot topic.
According to The New York Times on the 9th (local time), Vincent Dashkevich, who lives in Plainville, Connecticut, noticed something unusual when he found his frightened dog while walking in his backyard with his girlfriend.
Surprisingly, under the wooden deck of a small pool where the dog was looking, a fully grown black bear was curled up. Connecticut has seen an increase in the black bear population in recent years, and although bears have appeared near homes before, this particular bear showed no intention of returning to the forest.
After bringing the dog inside and coming back out, the bear remained quietly under the deck. Vincent then realized that the bear had chosen this spot to hibernate. Black bears are not among the species that enter full hibernation, but during winter, their body temperature and heart rate drop, and they cease activity.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, which was notified, told Vincent that the bear would likely leave on its own around the end of January when it wakes from hibernation, and if it does not cause any problems, it was okay to let it stay under the deck. However, they warned against approaching or feeding the bear.
According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the black bear is the smallest bear species in North America, primarily feeding on plant fruits and insects, but sometimes attacking small mammals like fawns. There was speculation that the bear might be a female looking for a den to give birth, but the responding environmental officers confirmed it was a fully grown male black bear.
Due to the bear's relaxed demeanor, Vincent and his family decided to leave it alone until it finishes hibernating and leaves. They even named the bear "Marty" and created a separate social media account to share updates on the bear's condition for a week.
Meanwhile, a video first filmed by Vincent's sister and uploaded to TikTok has gained great popularity, recording 14 million views as of the 9th.
However, viewers' reactions are divided between opinions to leave the bear alone and to wake it up and send it back to the forest. Some have recommended installing a camera under the deck to monitor the bear without disturbing it and only checking via video.
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection advised Vincent that if the bear causes problems, he could use a whistle and flashing lights to scare it away. They also stated that if the bear still does not leave, they would intervene themselves.
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