California homeowner says 550-pound black bear is living under his house
Talk about an unwanted houseguest.
According to one homeowner in Altadena, California, a black bear has been living in the crawl space under his home for over a month.
Ken Johnson, 63, the owner of the house, told KABC that the 550-pound bear sounds like a dragon and scares him. The bear even damaged a gas line, causing him to have to shut off the gas.
"I thought he'd be long gone by now. It's unnerving," Johnson said to KABC. "I think the longer he's there, the more comfortable he's going to be, and this won't end."
Cort Klopping, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), told ABC News that the agency has been working with Johnson to remedy the situation.
“Despite very limited staff, CDFW biologists have been in constant communication with this homeowner since this bear was reported entering his unsecured crawlspace in November. We remain committed to helping this homeowner and have never indicated otherwise," Klopping said.
He added, "CDFW biologists have set up traps with bait, installed cameras and lights for remote monitoring, and worked repeatedly to haze the bear from this property."
According to the CDFW, thousands of black bears are spotted every year in the state; however, the threat to residents is low.
"Presently, the statewide black bear population size is estimated to be between 49,000-71,000," according to CDFW.
The BEAR League, a California nonprofit dedicated to protecting bears, says that homeowners should secure their crawl spaces in the winter to deter ursine visitors.
"Bears are experts in fitting into the smallest of openings under houses and decks, and once they're in, they make themselves at home, which can result in thousands of dollars in damage," a BEAR League YouTube video says.
