August 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!

The timber rattlesnake is a large, heavy-bodied venomous snake native to much of the eastern United States. Despite a long history or human persecution, timber rattlesnakes still persist in Connecticut in several small, isolated populations.

Working Together to Protect Connecticut's Wildlife

DEEP's Connecticut State Environmental Conservation (EnCon) Police and Wildlife Division staff often work together behind the scenes to protect wildlife. Those efforts include the protection of endangered species, many of which face threats like illegal collection, trade, and possession. 

Recently, DEEP, in partnership with Connecticut State Police and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, seized 49 illegally possessed snakes and lizards. Thirteen of the seized animals included timber rattlesnakes, a Connecticut endangered species. Timber rattlesnakes take up to 10 years to reach sexual maturity and do not produce young every year. This means the loss of even one female snake to illegal trade can have conservation impacts that last for decades.  

Working together, we can make great things happen for endangered species conservation. You can help — never buy animals taken from the wild or release unwanted pets into the wild.

Rattlesnake Research: For the past few years, Wildlife Division staff and conservation collaborators have been studying rattlesnakes in Connecticut using radio telemetry. Some of the main goals of the study are to gain a more thorough understanding of rattlesnake movement patterns and habitat preferences, better inform Forestry Division management practices, and assist law enforcement with monitoring efforts.

More on rattlesnake research . . .

 The tri-colored bat is one of several species of bats that have been documented hibernating in the mine at Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine.

Bat Appreciation Day Is Almost Here!

Looking for a wildlife-focused event the whole family will enjoy? Join the Wildlife Division and Department of Economic and the Community Development (DECD) for the 10th anniversary of Bat Appreciation Day on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM, at the Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine in East Granby. From bat-themed exhibits to a unique opportunity to tour the “bat cave," Bat Appreciation Day celebrates bat conservation and Connecticut history.

The bats of Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine are considered “cave bats”, in part because they hibernate underground in caves and mines. This annual celebration offers the perfect opportunity to experience the remarkable history of Old New-Gate Prison through the lens of the state-endangered bats who have claimed it as their winter home. Little brown, tri-colored, and northern long-eared bats have all used this site to hibernate during the winter months. 

More on Bat Appreciation Day . . .

As of 2025, spotted lanternfly has been seen in all Connecticut counties.

Spotted Lanternfly: To Report or Not To Report?

As of August 2026, reports of spotted lanternfly (SLF) sightings are requested for Windham, Tolland, and Litchfield counties, and are optional for Hartford, Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London counties. You can report by taking a photo and using the SLF Reporting Form from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES).

Additionally, you can help reduce the presence of SLF by removing its primary food source, tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima). 

Tree-of-heaven is a fast-growing invasive that can outcompete native plants and is found throughout the state. It looks similar to native sumac but is distinguishable by small notches at the base of each leaflet.
 
Tree-of-heaven will aggressively sprout from its roots if the trunk is cut, so systemic control is needed. The hack-and-spray technique, as recommended by the CT Invasive Plant Working Group, is effective at killing tree-of-heaven. Use a hatchet to hack downward gashes in the bark. Then, spray the gashes with herbicide. This will kill the tree gradually, but completely. 

More on SLF . . .
More on removal of tree-of-heaven . . .

Participating in the Wild Turkey Brood Survey  is a great way to help the Wildlife Division monitor the state's wild turkey population.

Final Gobble! Report Wild Turkey Sightings

Connecticut residents have through Monday, August 31, to report their wild turkey sighting(s). 

The annual Wild Turkey Brood Survey helps Wildlife Division staff estimate the average number of turkey poults (young-of-the-year) per hen statewide to assess annual fluctuations in Connecticut’s turkey population. Factors such as weather, predation, and habitat conditions during the breeding and brood-rearing seasons can impact nest success, hen survival, and poult survival.

Participants can report their sighting(s) using the online form or download a Wild Turkey Observation Form to report their sightings.

Fun Fact: A wild turkey may range over several square miles in a single day.

More on how to report wild turkey sightings . . .

Upcoming Events:
The Wildlife Division will be participating in the following events in the near future:

• Bat Appreciation Day: Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Old New-Gate Prison and Copper Mine in East Granby, Connecticut.
• Durham Fair: Thursday, September 24 through Sunday, September 27, 2026 in Durham, Connecticut. Find the Wildlife Division tables in the T Barn.

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
Hunting Information
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, have limited proficiency in English, wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint, or require some other accommodation, including equipment to facilitate virtual participation, please contact the DEEP Office of Diversity and Equity at 860-418-5910 or by email at deep.accommodations@ct.gov. Any person needing an accommodation for hearing impairment may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. In order to facilitate efforts to provide an accommodation, please request all accommodations as soon as possible following notice of any agency hearing, meeting, program or event.