Litter of 5 bear cubs spotted in Connecticut for the first time

The state of Connecticut probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of bears. However, the Nutmeg State is home to approximately 1,000 to 1,200 black bears (American Ursus) bear. Bears can be found throughout the state, with most concentrated in the mountainous northwest corner.

For the first time, a mother bear in Connecticut has been spotted with five cubs. NBC4 Connecticut shared video of the family and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) confirmed it was the largest littering ever seen in the state.

Five record bears spotted in Connecticut | NBC Connecticut

In the mid-1800s, humans drove black bears out of the state by clearing forest lands for farming. After farmers abandoned a number of farms in the late 1800s, the forests began to grow back and the bears returned. The DEEP Wildlife Division had evidence of a resident black bear population in the 1980s, and the population has continued to increase since.

Cubs like these usually emerge in the spring. According to DEEP, mother bears sometimes leave their cubs alone while they climb trees to find food and do not abandon them. It is important to leave cubs alone, even if they are vocalizing, and to contact a local wildlife management office. Mother bears can travel more than a mile to feed, leaving cubs unattended for 12 hours or more.

“Removing cubs from the wild can unintentionally orphan them if the adult bear cannot locate and reunite with them,” DEEP writes.

This behavior can also occur in bad weather, and it is important that a cub’s fur protects it from the elements and even Russian spring temperatures.

More than 1,000 bear sightings have been reported since January in Connecticut, and that number will only increase as temperatures warm. Last year, more than 12,000 bears were reported in Connecticut. For comparison, there were only 22 sightings in 1996. Neighboring Massachusetts is home to about 4,500 bears, but Maine wears New England’s bear crown with as many as 35,000 bears.

The best new PopSci 2025 releases

The 50 most important innovations of the year