Connecticut Counts Every Bear Using DNA From Hair Samples

Scientists armed with clipboards and tick repellent are hiking through Connecticut's forests this summer on an unusual mission: counting every black bear without actually seeing them.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has teamed up with Mississippi State University's Carnivore and Population Ecology Lab to conduct the state's first scientific bear count in more than 10 years. The timing matters because knowing how many bears live in an area helps wildlife managers keep both animals and people safe.

The research team's secret weapon is surprisingly simple: barbed wire wrapped around trees. They've set up 340 collection sites across western Connecticut, where bears are most concentrated. Each trap uses two strands of wire circling several trees, with a clever lure in the middle.

What attracts a bear without feeding it? The team hangs a tampon soaked in raspberry extract and sprays used doughnut grease on a pile of sticks. Bears investigate out of curiosity, but find no actual food that might draw them back to human areas.

When bears brush against the wire, they leave behind something precious: their hair. Project manager Connor Kurz and his 10-person team visit each site weekly, passing white clipboards under the wire to spot dark bear fur against the bright background. They've collected about 850 hair samples since early June.

Not all the hair comes from bears, which is why every sample gets bagged and sent to Mississippi for DNA testing. Black bears in the Northeast are typically black with brown muzzles, but they can range from cinnamon to white in other regions. The genetic testing reveals which samples are actually bears and identifies each individual animal.

The real magic happens back at the lab. Research leader Dana Morin uses a technique called "spatial capture-recapture" that accounts for bears they detected and bears they missed. By mapping where individual bears showed up across the 14-square-mile grid, the team can estimate the total population density with remarkable accuracy.

The field work wraps up this month, with several months of lab analysis ahead. The results will give Connecticut wildlife managers their clearest picture yet of the bear population across nearly 240 square miles of habitat.

Why This Inspires

This project shows how creative problem-solving protects wildlife while keeping communities safe. Instead of invasive tracking or risky encounters, researchers are using forensic science that works for both species.

The method has already helped other states manage their bear populations successfully. Connecticut's embrace of this proven technique means better decisions about habitat protection, human-bear conflict prevention, and conservation resources.

The careful site selection, non-food lures, and DNA analysis reflect a deep respect for these wild neighbors. Researchers bushwhack through swamps and dodge ticks to gather data that will benefit bears for years to come.

Connecticut is investing in coexistence, using the best available science to understand and protect its black bear population for future generations.