A Connecticut couple has gained a furry family member, but one they do not want to keep. The couple anonymously spoke with their local news outlet, NBC Connecticut, about the black bear who's made its den under their deck.
"It's building a home, ripping apart all my shrubs. Now he's involved in the air conditioner, which I was concerned because if he gets involved in the air conditioner, rips out some of the wires, possibly a fire. And also, there's about eight kids on the block now that can't go out," the homeowner said.
The couple alerted the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, DEEP, to the animal's new denning spot. They hoped the agency would remove the bear. But, they did not get the response they were hoping for.
"They said, you know unless they become a hazard or break into the house or attack someone, there's nothing we're going to do. You know, this happens," they said.
DEEP told the outlet that if the bears are left alone, they will eventually move on and den in an appropriate habitat. Bears are rarely removed, and DEEP will only intervene if they will not or cannot leave safely on their own.
Many residents are wondering why they are seeing more black bears this winter. DEEP told NBC Connecticut that black bears aren't true hibernators. Instead, they will stay active during winter if temperatures stay mild and there isn't much snow.
The couple is working on ways to stop the bear from utilizing underneath their deck for his winter home. They first tried putting a boom box out on the deck.
"So that's when we thought, OK. We looked up what can we do.," they said. "Loud music, stuff like that to try to get him off the property, and I guess he left after the music. But he came back two days later."
READ MORE: What to Do If You Encounter a Black Bear in the Wild
