Giant bear living under LA man’s house finally leaves after 37 days — thanks to this bizarre method
A 550-pound black bear that had been living beneath a Los Angeles-area home for more than a month has finally moved on—after wildlife specialists used paintballs to drive it out.
Altadena homeowner Ken Johnson discovered the massive bear had taken up residence in his crawlspace on Nov. 30. For 37 days, the unexpected tenant kept Johnson on edge and disrupted his holiday season as the animal refused to leave its makeshift den.
Relief came Tuesday after Johnson contacted the Bear League, a Lake Tahoe–based organization that responds to emergency bear situations. The team deployed paintballs into the crawlspace, a deterrent that ultimately convinced the bear to abandon the area and retreat from the home.
“I couldn’t believe it was so fast,” Johnson said. “These guys went in, they crawled in behind him and, boom, he was out.”
When the bear returned two nights later to climb back into the crawlspace, it encountered an electrified mat over the opening that gave it a small shock — so it took off. Only time will tell if it’s gone for good.
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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