New Photos: 'Dan Berry' Bear Goes From Main Street To Firehouse

Danbury firefighters got quite a surprise while busy cleaning the firehouse and equipment checks on Monday, April 20, when one of the crew spotted a bear in the lot behind the fire station.

Sedated, the bear is tagged and measured before being relocated to the wild.
Photo Credit: *Danbury Fire Department*

A black bear nicknamed 'Dan Berry' made himself at home behind the Danbury Fire Department.
Photo Credit: *Danbury Fire Department*

'Dan Berry' hanging out behind the firehouse.
Photo Credit: *Danbury Fire Department*

Kathy Reakes

04/21/2020 4:08 p.m.

Of course, none of the other firefighters believed him until they saw the bear for themselves, said Danbury Fire spokesman James Gagliardo.

The bear, which had been spotted near Main Street earlier in the day and named "Dan Berry," by Mayor Mark Boughton, decided he liked it at the firehouse and didn't have any plans to leave, Gagliardo said.

See Earlier Story: Black Bear Not Under Any Stay-Home Order Spotted On Main Street In Danbury

For the bear’s safety along with residents in the area, the department requested Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police who sent a team to assist in relocating Dan to a better home.

The biologist from DEEP estimated Dan was about 15 months old; called a “yearling.” He weighed about 135 pounds and appeared to be in good health.

While they had him sedated, DEEP officers tagged and chipped Dan as well as recorded his measurements so they could identify and track him in the future.

He was relocated to another location in the state and safely released back into the wild by the DEEP officers.

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