Martin Torrequintero Photos
The Front Street bear during Sunday’s visit.
As one of New Haven’s nature guides, Martin Torresquintero knows about bears roaming wooded neighborhoods in town.
On Sunday he saw a bear up closer — in the backyard of his home on Front Street in Fair Haven across from the Quinnipiac River.
Torresquintero, the city parks department’s outdoor adventure coordinator (and all-around flora and fauna expert), spotted the black bear “around 7:17 a.m., about 7 feet away from my bed, in the back of the house,” he reported.
“I would expect this in the East Rock or Edgewood neighborhood, but not on Front Street in Fair Haven,” where no woods are nearby.
Torresquintero sent along the photos in this story …
… as well as the above video.
The bear “knocked down some bird feeders (pictured), dug up some bulbs, and probably messed around with the garbage barrels in the park,” then proceeded toward East Pearl Street, Torresquintero reported.
“It is not tagged, and seems not too afraid of human presence,” he stated. He described the experience as more of a “thrill” than a “threat,” disputing “misinformation” about black bears attacking humans or dogs or eating cats.
“Fact is these urban bears are opportunistic omnivores, feeding on berries, bulbs, garbage, bird feeders, etc.,” Torresquintero said. “Chances are she/he may come back.”
Torresquintero taking measurements after ursine visitor’s departure.
Among other duties for the parks department, Torresquintero oversees the park ranger program and outdoor education programs. Could it be a coincidence that the Fair Haven bear picked his house to visit Sunday? The question occurred to Torresquintero: “Was he trying to tell us something?”