Employees at a small bakery in Avon, Connecticut, experienced a rather unusual and terrifying encounter when a hungry black bear made its way into their garage and helped itself to a delicious feast of 60 cupcakes. The incident has shed light on the increasing frequency of human-bear interactions in the state, emphasizing the need for heightened awareness and precautionary measures.
Miriam Stephens, the owner of Taste by Spellbound, recounted the startling incident that unfolded as her employees were loading cakes into a delivery van. One worker looked up to find a bear peering at her from the South Windsor side. Panic ensued, and the bear was startled away momentarily but returned on three separate occasions. Faced with the charging bear, the terrified employee wisely retreated from the garage and sought safety.
Surveillance footage captured the bear’s audacious move, dragging a container of cupcakes from the garage into the parking lot. According to Stephens, the ravenous intruder devoured a staggering 60 cupcakes. Eventually, a baker was able to coax the bear away from the scene by honking a car horn.
🐻 Lucky bear!
Cupcake treat at ‘Taste by Spellbound’ in Avon, Connecticut#bear #cupcakes https://t.co/FdOtwwrMj6
— RBClouston (@rbclouston) May 28, 2023
This unnerving incident at Taste by Spellbound is not an isolated event but part of a concerning trend in Connecticut. Statistics from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection reveal a record-breaking 67 reports of bears entering homes in 2022, a significant increase from the 45 incidents reported in 2020.
Tragically, these interactions have not been without consequences. Just last month, a 74-year-old woman was attacked and bitten by a bear while walking her dog in a Hartford suburb. The severity and frequency of such incidents have prompted concerns among residents and wildlife officials alike.
Connecticut is home to an estimated population of 1,000 to 1,200 black bears, with sightings reported in 158 of the state’s 169 towns and cities. As these magnificent creatures increasingly encroach upon human settlements in search of food, it becomes crucial to strike a delicate balance between their conservation and public safety.