New England Drought Means Bolder Bears, Stressed Fish

FILE – In this July 15, 2016, file photo, tourists walk past parched, brown grass on the Boston Common in Boston. Much of the Northeast is in the grips of a drought that has led to water restrictions, wrought havoc on gardens and raised concerns among farmers. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Beyond hurting crops and helping the tourism industry, New England’s hot, dry summer also is affecting the region’s wildlife.

Bears are getting bolder — with fewer berries to eat, they’re venturing into campgrounds and neighborhood trash cans to dine. Stream-dwelling fish are stressed, and mosquitoes are multiplying. That may seem strange given that the insects breed in standing water, but officials say low water levels mean wider river banks.

All six New England states are experiencing at least moderate drought, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center, with severe patches in all but Vermont and pockets of extreme drought in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.