A California man says he has reached his breaking point after months of failed attempts to remove a massive bear living beneath his home.
Altadena resident Kenneth Johnson is now threatening legal action against the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, claiming negligence and emotional distress after the state allegedly stopped intervening in the situation involving a 550-pound bear occupying his crawlspace.
According to KTLA, Johnson believes the department has backed away from helping resolve the issue, despite the bear being previously tagged and known to wildlife officials.
Homeowner claims state abandoned the situation
“This has gone on long enough, and it’s something that they should deal with,” Johnson told the outlet. “It’s a tagged bear. They’ve dealt with it before. They chose not to euthanize it, and now it’s back, and it’s just going to keep on doing this.”
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife disputed Johnson’s claims in a statement provided to PEOPLE, saying it has remained actively involved despite limited staffing.
“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is committed to helping Californians across the state who are having unwelcome encounters with wildlife,” the department said. “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.”
The department said biologists have set traps with bait, installed cameras and lights for remote monitoring, and repeatedly attempted to haze the bear away from the property. Officials also emphasized that securing the crawlspace is a critical step to prevent the animal’s return.
“CDFW has and will continue to engage with the homeowner to advise on hazing methodologies and the critical need to close the crawlspace,” the statement continued.
Johnson first became aware of the bear in November after noticing damage around the exterior of his home throughout the year. After installing a security camera, he captured footage of the animal walking near the house and later crawling directly into the crawlspace.
“When I saw it all torn up, I thought, ‘He must not be under there,’ because there is no way a bear could fit,” Johnson told NBC Los Angeles.
“I don’t know how it got under there. It must be a contortionist. This thing is so big its stomach touches the ground.”
The bear climbs in and out through a crawlspace window.
Johnson has said the presence of the bear has made daily life uncomfortable, even if he does not believe the animal intends to harm him.
“It’s uncomfortable walking into the kitchen thinking there’s a bear over there,” he said. “I don’t think he’s any harm to me as long as I don’t go down the side of the house while he’s coming out.”
The department attempted to capture the bear in December but ended up trapping a different animal. Footage shared by Johnson and wildlife officials showed clear differences between the captured bear and the one living under his home.
