HARTFORD, Conn. — A male black bear was spotted in a tree behind an apartment complex on Chestnut Street near downtown Hartford and has since been safely taken down.
Hartford police blocked off Chestnut St from Albany Ave. to Homestead, but it has since reopened. They asked people to stay out of the bear's line of sight, as they hoped it might come down on its own if it did not see people.
DEEP’s Wildlife Division, in coordination with the Hartford police and DEEP Environmental Conservation (EnCon) police, safely removed the bear at 7 p.m., after it was sedated.
The bear has since woken up and been released into its native habitat outside the city.
According to DEEP, Connecticut's bear population is growing much faster than it was a decade ago. Bears are now even living in areas considered poor habitats for them all because they can access human food.
Black bears are native to Connecticut so the ultimate goal is to be able to co-exist with them peacefully in a home they share.
Ashley RK Smith is an assignment desk editor at FOX61 News. She can be reached at asmith@fox61.com
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