There are between 1,000 and 1,200 black bears in Connecticut and last year they were sighted in 158 of the state's 169 localities. "The frequency and severity of bear-human interactions is increasing," one official warns.
A 74-year-old woman suffered bites to her arms and legs when she was attacked by a bear while walking her dog in a Hartford suburb, the first such attack in 2023. There were two attacks last year, including one in October where a 10- year-old boy was bitten in a backyard.