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March 2026
Wildlife Highlights is published by the Connecticut DEEP Wildlife Division. Please share the newsletter with others to help spread awareness about Connecticut's wildlife!
Black bear photo courtesy of Erika Olsen.
Spring Is Around the Corner. Are You Being BearWise?
Despite a cold and snowy winter thus far, it won’t be long before black bears will be more active, relying on their incredible sense of smell to search for food. With that in mind, Connecticut residents are encouraged to remove human-related foods, such as birdseed, and properly secure their trash. Last year saw the highest number of reported human-bear conflicts, affecting residents across 151 municipalities. Most of these conflicts involve birdseed and trash. These types
of conflicts are also the easiest to prevent.
Bear resistant trash cans are more readily available than ever in the state, especially in western Connecticut. Residents experiencing bears getting into their trash should reach out to their local trash hauler and ask about acquiring a bear-resistant can.
As the 14th most forested and fourth most densely populated state, Connecticut offers ideal bear habitat near residential communities, making it essential for residents to coexist safely with bears.
Wild bird populations, mostly shorebirds, raptors, and waterfowl like this drake mallard, are at high risk for contracting avian influenza, or "bird flu".
What Is Avian Influenza?
Avian influenza, or “bird flu”, is a contagious viral disease that occurs naturally in birds. The disease varies in severity, depending on the strain and species affected. Domestic poultry, including backyard flocks, and captive birds (at zoos, for example) are at high risk. In wild populations, waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors are also at high risk.
Current scientific evidence indicates that outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) usually involve the death of a large number of waterfowl or shorebirds – as opposed to individual birds people may find on their property. As a result, when it comes to surveillance of dead wild birds as an early detection measure, DEEP primarily focuses on events that involve large numbers of birds. At this time, we will not be routinely testing individual birds that are found dead, especially if they are backyard birds like robins, sparrows, pigeons, cardinals, etc., which are not considered to be highly susceptible to HPAI, or testing geese or other waterfowl, even if found in groups. We are, however, interested in all mortality events and will follow up on those that we feel are indicative of a potential HPAI or other wildlife disease outbreak.
Help us monitor wild bird populations in Connecticut by reporting sightings of dead wild birds to the Wild Bird Mortality Database.
More on avian influenza . . .
An adult fisher is briefly sedated and fitted with a tracking collar before being released back into the wild.
Fisher Research Project in its Third Season
After a slow start to the third field season of live-trapping fishers in Connecticut, Wildlife Division Furbearer Program biologists have seen an uptick in fisher activity and have captured and placed tracking collars on 30 individuals since January (24 new captures and 6 recaptures). Since the research project began in late 2023, staff have captured and tracked 86 adult fishers using VHF/GPS collars. The collars have a unique breakaway mechanism that is intentionally designed to break down over time, allowing biologists to retrieve the collars at the conclusion of
the study.
The data collected from the collars will provide biologists with important information about Connecticut’s fisher population, including fisher habitat preference, den selection, reproduction rates, and mortality. The primary goal of the project is to better understand why the fisher population is gradually declining despite having suitable habitat in Connecticut.
Residents are encouraged to report not only their fisher sightings to the Wildlife Division but are also encouraged to report sightings of black bears, bobcats, gray foxes, and several other species.
More on the fisher . . .
The best approach to managing conflicts with wildlife is to prevent them, and electric fencing is a great way to deter bears and other wildlife.
Shockingly Effective! Register for the 2026 Electric Fence Workshops
For the second year, the Wildlife Division is offering a series of free workshops that will focus on proper electric fence installation, including tips on how to successfully deter bears and other wildlife from going after apiaries, livestock, crops, and more. The best approach to managing conflicts with wildlife is preventing them in the first place, and the use of electric fencing is an excellent way to do so. This workshop is a great opportunity for those
considering the use of electric fencing or for those who have experienced difficulty with their setup.
The workshops will take place at several locations across the state from April through June, including Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area in Burlington, Kellogg Environmental Center in Derby, Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, and Franklin Swamp Wildlife Management Area in North Franklin. Registration is required to attend, and more dates and locations may be added to accommodate demand.
Register for an upcoming workshop . . .
The spotted salamander is one of many species that rely on vernal pools for reproduction.
Join Us for a Habitat and Vernal Pool Hike at Sessions Woods
Join Wildlife Division Outreach Biologist Paul Benjunas and Friends of Sessions Woods Naturalist Laura Rogers-Castro on Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 11 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. for a hike to a vernal pool at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area in Burlington.
Learn about the dynamics of this seasonal wetland, along with the unique wildlife found in vernal pool habitats. With any luck and good timing, the pool will be alive with the calls of wood frogs! The group will also stop at several other types of habitats along the way to discuss the importance of habitat management.
All are welcome for this approximately two-mile long hike, but registration is required to attend. Appropriate shoes for a gravel, woodland trail are recommended. Participants should meet at the gazebo in the parking lot at Sessions Woods.
Register for the hike . . .
Join us at Sessions Woods this April to learn how Dr. Kat Owens uses art to raise awareness about the impacts of plastic waste on wildlife. Photo courtesy of Jason Welch.
Community Art Workshops and Plastic Pollution Talk at Sessions Woods
Join the Wildlife Division's Outreach Program and Dr. Kat Owens on Saturday, April 11 and Saturday, April 18 for an educational, wildlife-themed community art workshop at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area in Burlington.
On April 11 starting at 10:00 a.m., Dr. Kat Owens will give a presentation titled Entangled and Ingested, which will cover the impact of plastic pollution on wildlife and how she uses art to bring attention to this issue. Then, from 11:45 a.m. - 2:45 p.m., attendees will work together to create a life-size portrait of a black bear by stitching together pieces of plastic packaging. Work on the bear portrait will continue April 18 from 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. Once complete, the bear portrait will be displayed at Sessions Woods!
All are welcome to stop by at any point during the workshops, but please register in advance. Additional activities will include scavenger hunts in the Sessions Woods exhibit area and along the Forest Meadow trail, as well as a craft activity table for kids.
Black bears consume plastic packaging when they find food in garbage bins. While unhealthy for bears, this also leads to conflict when bears learn to find food where people live. The art piece will highlight the need for reduced access to human-related food sources by black bears, as well as the greater impact of plastics on wildlife. To see examples of artwork by Dr. Owens, visit KatOwens.com.
Register for the workshops . . .
As its name implies, the American oystercatcher uses its long, orange bill to hunt for shellfish along the shoreline.
Volunteers Needed for Shorebird Monitoring
The Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) and the Wildlife Division invite you to make a difference for threatened bird species at the beach this summer as an official volunteer!
AAfCW is a partnership between the National Audubon Society, Connecticut Audubon Society, and The Nature Conservancy that assists the Wildlife Division and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the management of beach-nesting birds. The focal species of this project are piping plovers, American oystercatchers, least terns, and common terns.
Volunteers can expect to record beach-nesting bird activity along Connecticut beaches and engage with beachgoers to raise awareness about protecting these sensitive bird species. Volunteers are asked to contribute at least four hours of their time per month from April through August 2026.
New volunteer training will take place virtually on Thursday, March 26, from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com for the Zoom link. There will also be an in-person training in April. For more information, email Marissa Ardovino, Volunteer Coordinator, at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com or visit AAfCW’s website.
Bald eagle photo courtesy of Josh Rimany.
Help Wild Birds Spotlight
World Migratory Bird Day is a global bird conservation education campaign. Each year, a new theme is chosen to highlight the importance of protecting birds that migrate. The 2026 theme is Every Bird Counts – Your Observation Matters, which highlights the importance of public participation in collecting data for bird conservation. For the remainder of the year, we will feature a section on community science programs that benefit bird conservation in Connecticut.
The Wildlife Division collects sighting reports of various wildlife species to help with ongoing research projects, as well as to track distribution and abundance of certain populations. You can help by reporting your observations for the wildlife species, including sightings for wild turkey research, endangered/threatened bird species, ruffed grouse, wild turkey broods (starting June 1), dead birds, and bald eagle nests.
Upcoming Events:
The Wildlife Division will be participating in the following events in the near future:
- Connecticut Fishing and Outdoor Show: March 20-22, 2026. Visit the Wildlife Division's display to learn about Connecticut's wildlife. Details about the show.
- Vernal Pool and Habitat Hike: Saturday, March 28, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area. Register here.
- Community Art Workshops: Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m. and Saturday, April 18, from 2:30-5:30 p.m. at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area. Register here.
Who We Are
The Wildlife Division is part of the Bureau of Natural Resources within the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). The Bureau is charged with managing the state’s natural resources (particularly fish, wildlife, and forests) through a program of research, management, public education, and regulation. The Wildlife Division is
comprised of several programs that work together to conserve and manage Connecticut's wildlife.
Contact Us
Email: deep.ctwildlife@ct.gov
Phone: 860-424-3011
Wildlife Website: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEPWildlife
Hunting Information: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEPHunting
Office Directory: https://portal.ct.gov/deep/wildlife/wildlife-division-office-directory
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are seeking a communication aid or service, ha