HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Witnesses could hardly believe the surprise visitor that showed up at the Connecticut governor’s estate on Saturday — a black bear that scaled the fence and caused quite the commotion.
“It was definitely like, ‘Is this real?’” Joanna M. Kornafel recalled on Friday.
Kornafel and her family were traveling near the governor’s residence in Hartford when traffic slowed, and they soon discovered the reason: the bear was crossing the street. As her husband drove, Kornafel grabbed her phone to take photos as the bear made its way up the driveway of the 19th-century estate, even scrambling up the tall metal gate.
She captured a shot of the bear standing on its hind legs, its front paws resting on an adjacent pillar, curiously nosing around a globe-shaped light fixture.
“The whole family was in awe of the bear. And we were excited,” Kornafel said, noting that her 4-year-old son had been talking about bears all week.
Gov. Ned Lamont’s office reported that no one was home at the time, and the bear eventually wandered off on its own.
Bears have been increasingly spotted throughout Connecticut in recent years, with nearly all of the state’s 169 cities and towns reporting sightings last year.