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Connecticut Deep Euthanizes 2 Bears In Wake Of Encounter With Hiker

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. — The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has euthanized two bears that "exhibited bold and aggressive behavior," the department said in a statement Wednesday. 

Woman has close encounter with 2 black bears on walking trail and films it, bear bites her leg.

Photo Credit: Ash M

Hiking at Sessions Woods in Burlington and these bear approached me. I kept calm and walked away unharmed.

Photo Credit: Stephanie Rivkin

The problem began last Friday when a hiker encountered a bear at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area in Burlington last Friday. The hiker captured the event on video and posted it on YouTube. (Her version has been made private. Others posted copies of it — also above). 

The male bear in the video was shot and killed on the grounds of Sessions Woods at 1:45 p.m. Wednesday, DEEP said. The bear was taken in the same area where it interacted with the hiker last week. It was also again accompanied by a second, larger bear – which is unusual, DEEP said.

Given the incident on Friday and the previous behavior of the bear there was serious concern that it could have injured a person in any future encounter."

A positive identification was made from the number on red ear tags – 065 – which had been placed on the bear by DEEP. Those tags are visible on the video footage.

DEEP Wildlife Division staff setting traps Wednesday at Sessions Woods were alerted to the presence of two bears. They located the bears and "dispatched" the one matching the description of the animal encountered by the hiker, DEEP said. The second bear remained at a distance.

In the video, the male bear can be seen approaching the woman and putting its mouth on her leg.

This male bear had a history of aggressive behavior toward humans, DEEP said. In June, it was captured, tranquilized and relocated from the perimeter fence at Bradley International Airport. Later that month, it attempted to follow a woman into a building in Windsor. In July, it was suspected of entering a home in Granby.

In the search for the first bear, a second bear was euthanized at Sessions Woods shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday. 

DEEP staff had responded to reports of a bear in the area where the encounter with the hiker took place. This female bear also had two red ear tags and was traveling with a larger bear, DEEP said. It also exhibited aggressive behavior, DEEP said. 

It charged one of the two DEEP Wildlife Division staff members, The numbers on that bear’s ear tags were 035. It had been tagged this winter in the Bristol area during DEEP research at bear dens.

Necropsies will be conducted on both bears to see whether any abnormalities could have contributed to their aggressive behavior.

"DEEP took action to euthanize bear involved in Friday’s incident because of the threat it presented to public safety," the statement said. "Given the incident on Friday and the previous behavior of the bear there was serious concern that it could have injured a person in any future encounter."

Due to unusually high bear activity, the trails at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area will remain closed until further notice. 

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