Bears and suburbia don’t mix very well. It is common now to hear of black bear and cub sightings on the rails to trails path in the center of Canton, or walking through properties along Hopmeadow Street in the center of Simsbury. No accident; the numbers of sightings are up because there are greater numbers of bears and additional suburban development.
On Thursday, October 24, at 7:00 PM the Canton Public Library will host Black Bear History, Biology and Management in Connecticut, a talk by Paul Rego, a wildlife biologist with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Rego’s talk will describe the history of bears from pre-colonial times through today. He will describe black bear food habits, as well as their reproduction, winter denning, and social organization. He will also suggest steps to reduce the likelihood of encounters with bears. Finally, he will also discuss some of the consequences of having this large mammal in our area, and he will talk about the management and research that are being conducted in the state.
As a furbearer and bear biologist, with well over 20 years of experience in the Wildlife Division of the DEEP, Rego deals with species ranging from muskrats and raccoons to coyotes and black bears. This work ranges from addressing the conflicts between animals and humans to monitoring the status of uncommon species such as bobcats.
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The program is free, although registration is requested to ensure there will be enough seating. For information please call (860) 693-5800, email kbunn@cantonpubliclibrary.org, or visit www.cantonpubliclibrary.org. Canton Public Library is located at 40 Dyer Avenue in Canton.
