More Wildlife Mean More Complications

By Jack Sullivan

In June 2007, a vehicle collided with a moose on the Merritt Parkway in New Canaan, Conn. causing serious head injuries to the driver, a totaled car, and a moose that had to be euthanized.
While the currently thriving wildlife population in Connecticut is a testament to a healthy environment, some animals can clearly pose unwanted threats and issues to the public.
Over the past decade, the state has seen increases in the populations of such species as bobcats, coyotes, black bears, and moose, according to the state Department of Environmental Protection. Jenny Dickson, wildlife biologist for the DEP Wildlife Division, said the resident moose population is about 100, and that the bobcat population is between 200 and 400.
Dickson said that while populations have been increasing throughout the state, the northwestern corner in particular tends to be more heavily forested, providing a good habitat for many species to thrive and begin reproducing.
While moose are thriving, it is unclear whether the species is indigenous to Connecticut, said Andrew Labonte, a DEP wildlife biologist. The first officially recorded sighting of a moose in the state was a photograph taken in 1956, he said.
The first sighting of a moose cow with calves was in 2000, and the population has risen steadily ever since.
As the moose population continues to grow, Dickson said that public safety becomes a huge concern, because moose can be dangerous if they wander onto roads or highways.
A 700-pound moose was recently tranquilized in Middlebury, Conn., as it approached Interstate 84, according to an Associated Press report in September, 2009. Dickson said that the moose was moved to the Barkhamsted area, which is in the northwestern part of the state.
Labonte said that one out of every 50 vehicle collisions with a moose results in a human fatality. So far there have only been 22 total moose-vehicle collisions in the state, with 10 of them since 2006, said Labonte. So far none of the collisions have caused a human death.
“We are currently collecting data on the moose population so we can make decisions down the road,” said Dickson. “It really depends on where they settle down.”
In addition to moose, a much more common animal that causes car accidents is the deer, which is heavily populated throughout the state. Labonte said that from 2005-2008, there was an average of 2,213 deer killed annually by collisions with automobiles. He also said that that number only counts for the number of deer collisions that were reported, and that only about one in five vehicle-deer collisions get reported.
Labonte said that deer have a high reproductive rate, and have adapted well to human activity and land use. He said that since they have few natural predators besides human hunters, the populations can increase quickly, as it has been steadily since the 1970’s.
“The best way of controlling deer-vehicle accidents is by following posted speed limits and being extra alert during specific times of the year when deer tend to move a lot,” said Labonte.
Deer are most active during spring dispersal, which is May through July, and mating season, which is late October to mid-December.
Bobcats and coyotes are also thriving in the state, and while neither are threats to humans, both can pose problems to pets and livestock, said Dickson.
Bobcats are one of the animals that can especially be found around Litchfield County.
“The northwest corner tends to be forested, with a lot more closed canopy,” said Dickson. “There’s plenty of cover, which suits their hunting techniques and translates into a lot more food.”
The secretive cats are most active before dusk and after dawn, and tend to hunt alone, said Dickson. She said that while bobcats are capable of adapting to suburban development, they prefer rural terrain.
Dickson said that the state tends to give a range for the bobcat population because it is too difficult to count each animal due to their unusual behavior. She said that she thinks there is significantly more than 200 bobcats in the state right now, but not more than 400.
She said that bobcats are not overpopulated, and it has been illegal since 1972 to hunt or trap them. Paul Rego, a DEP wildlife biologist, said the ban was imposed because poaching had been a significant problem.
Unlike bobcats, coyotes adapt well to suburban development, and are found throughout the Connecticut. Their ability to adapt to human surroundings and development has led to a stable population, believed to be in the low thousands, according to Rego.
Dickson said the DEP advises people to supervise their pets, especially at night.
“Most people think that if I’m standing on my porch looking at my dog than it is good enough,” said Dickson. “Unfortunately, that is not the case. These are natural predators and it won’t take long to catch it and carry it off.”
For long-term safety, fencing a yard will help, but only somewhat. Cats and small dogs should be kept in at night, and if you need to take them out, accompany them on a leash. Most bobcats or coyotes will not approach a pet if it sees a human nearby, said Dickson.
In addition to bobcats and coyotes, black bears have also been flourishing in Connecticut. Dickson said that there is probably between 300 and 500 bears in the state , and that number is expected to rise.
According to the Rego, in the mid-1800s, black bears fell victim to both humans and a forest habitat that covered only about a quarter of the state’s terrain. The forest’s regrowth, which reached 60 to 70 percent forestland by the 1960s, has drawn the bears back.
While black bears usually tend to fear humans in the wilderness, they have a great drive for food, and if they continue to find it near residences or campsites, they can lose that fear and become regular visitors, according to the Rego.
The DEP urges citizens not to feed or attract bears, and to be responsible when taking out the trash or using the grill. If bears become a nuisance or damage property, the DEP may have to tranquilize and remove them, or destroy them altogether, according to the Dickson.
With the black bear population in the state increasing, interaction with humans is also increasing, said Rego. “Threats and nuisances include damaging bird feeders, raiding garbage, killing or injuring livestock and pets, other property damage (such as fences, outbuildings), damaging bee hives, damaging plants, and the very low probability of an attack on a human,” said Rego.
The best way to avoid conflict with black bears is to minimize the opportunities for them to obtain food on your property or campsite, said Dickson.
Biologists say while these increased number of wildlife is a healthy sign, the public must be aware that the animals do pose risks. The solution may be for humans, not the wildlife, to adapt.