Bear Spotted in Redding

REDDING, CT — A black bear was spotted in Redding Wednesday by Police Officer Alcott. Video of the bear was posted to the Police Department Facebook page.

Bear sightings have been on the rise in recent years. There were an estimated 700 black bears in the state during 2016. Often bears are found in wooded areas, but they have shown up in some odd places. Last year a bear made it nearly to the Wooster Square area of New Haven after being spotted several times in the city.

Bears typically aren't removed from an area if they are simply spotted. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection advises residents to either observe the bear from a safe distance until it leaves the area or use loud noises to scare the bear away. Afterwards anything that may have attracted the bear such as an open food supply should be removed.

Correction: The bear was spotted in Redding, not Ridgefield.