A 550-pound black bear that had been living under an Altadena man’s home for more than a month has finally been removed with the help of a wildlife rescue group.
“I’m relieved — no more banging under the house, no more smelling him, no more wondering what’s going on down there,” homeowner Ken Johnson told KTLA’s Jillian Smuckler on Thursday.
Johnson said the bear took up residence in a crawlspace under his home just before Thanksgiving and made multiple attempts to lure it out, without success.
State wildlife officials attempted to dislodge the bear using paintball guns, air horns and other tactics, but were unsuccessful. Johnson said the effort stalled after officials received instructions from Sacramento to withdraw.
He has since threatened to sue the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for negligence and emotional distress.
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Video of a black bear emerging from the crawlspace of Ken Johnson’s home on Tuesday, January 6, 2025. (Ken Johnson)
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Ken Johnson’s electrified pad at the entrance to Altadena’s crawlspace. January 8, 2025. (KTLA)
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On January 7, 2025, Ken Johnson saw the 550-pound black bear in his backyard. (Ken Johnson)
However, a breakthrough came when the Lake Tahoe-based nonprofit BEAR League offered to help for free. Johnson said the team used a similar method to the state agency — paintball guns — but completed the job in about 10 minutes Tuesday.
“I can’t believe it’s so fast,” Johnson said. “These guys go in, they crawl up behind him, and then, boom, he’s out.”
Two days later, when the bear returned and crawled back into the small space, it encountered an electrified pad in the opening, which gave it a slight shock and took off. Only time will tell if it’s gone for good.
Johnson described the removal as a “belated Christmas gift”. He can now assess the damage the bear caused beneath his home, which included a ruptured gas line.
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