California Man Finds Bear Living Under His House
A California man was alarmed to find that the cause of disturbances and damage around his property was an enormous black bear that had moved into the crawl space beneath his home (Ken Johnson/ KTLA)
A California homeowner is dealing with an unexpected—and very large—guest beneath his house. In April, Altadena resident Kenneth Johnson began noticing damage around his crawl space. By June, he set up a camera to watch the area. For months, the only thing he spotted was a big bear occasionally wandering through his yard.
Last week, he discovered the real issue: the bear wasn’t just passing by—it was living under his home.
“I have no idea how it got in there. It must be a contortionist,” Johnson told the Los Angeles Times. “The bear is so large its stomach drags along the ground.”
Johnson says it’s unnerving to walk into his kitchen knowing the bear is just feet away beneath the floorboards. He doesn’t believe the animal wants to hurt him as long as they avoid crossing paths, but on Friday the bear let out a loud roar that left him “shaking like a leaf for half an hour.”
Footage from his camera shows the bear squeezing in and out of the crawl space with a yellow tag on one ear. Johnson says he plans to name the bear either Ursa or Barry once he learns its sex. He believes the bear heads out during the day to forage and returns at night to sleep under the house.
Johnson told KTLA he has tried contacting California Fish and Wildlife but keeps getting a holiday closure message. “I don’t need a bear for Christmas,” he said. “I want to get rid of the bear for Christmas.”
The situation reflects a broader trend. Major wildfires in January displaced both residents and wildlife throughout the region. Earlier this year, Pasadena evacuees returned to discover a 500-pound bear under their home, according to the Times. Johnson says Altadena residents are used to seeing wildlife, but drought and wildfire have changed animal behavior dramatically.
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