A 550-pound bear had been residing under a California man’s home for more than a month before finally being removed using an unconventional method, after several failed attempts by state officials. The male black bear was extricated from the crawl space of Ken Johnson’s home in Altadena on Tuesday, thanks to a team from the Bear League, an emergency bear removal organization.
Surveillance footage revealed the bear’s routine of entering and exiting the crawl space beneath Johnson’s house since late November. Johnson expressed frustration over the extensive damage caused by the bear, which he estimated at tens of thousands of dollars. The bear also created unsafe conditions, leading to issues with the structure and gas lines. “After I survived the Eaton Fire, I lost my job, and then, bears began to damage my home,” Johnson shared on his GoFundMe page. He mentioned that some gas pipes were kinked, prompting them to shut off utilities for safety.
After unsuccessful removal attempts by state wildlife officials, Johnson turned to the Bear League, located seven hours away in Lake Tahoe. The organization expressed its satisfaction in assisting him with the situation through a Facebook post. They noted that it took only 20 minutes for the team to use a paintball filled with vegetable oil to encourage the bear to leave.
Scott and Dave, responders from the Bear League, traveled to Los Angeles and successfully coaxed the bear out, with Scott crawling under the house to facilitate the bear’s exit. To prevent future intrusions, they installed electric mats for the homeowner to use while he made necessary repairs to the crawl space.
According to the Bear League, this incident highlights the importance of securing crawl spaces. They frequently respond to similar situations in the Lake Tahoe region and have been providing these services to homeowners at no charge for 30 years. They stress that residents can coexist with wildlife by taking simple precautions.
The recent rescue finally brought an end to over a month of unsuccessful efforts by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which had tried various methods, from traps to noise makers, some of which mistakenly ensnared other bears. The situation may have been both tense and frustrating for Johnson, but the outcome, thankfully, proved successful in the end.
