Community Corner

New GPS Technology Allows State to Closely Track Bears

Environmental officials are discovering that bears will often stick close to home.

By Ronald DeRosa

There are multiple bear sightings every year in Connecticut and, thanks to some new tracking methods by the state, officials are learning that these bears aren't traveling too far.

In the past three years, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has begun utilizing GPS tracking collars on the state's bear population, allowing for environmental officials to track each bear's exact location, the Hartford Courant reported.

Through these trackers, the state has been learning new things about the bears' movement, dispelling previous theories about their habitats and behaviors, the Courant reported.

The article cites a few examples, such as a bear dubbed "Airport Bear" who in 2011 bolted from her typical territory around Bradley International Airport to Massachusetts to search for food.

The tracking devices also allow state officials to know when bears are getting too close to human areas. In an example the Courant cites, Airport Bear had to be relocated to Granby after the GPS picked her up moving too close to a trafficked area. 


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