Kenneth Johnson discovered a 550-pound black bear had moved into a crawlspace beneath his home, and now can’t even have a hot shower for fear of what could happen
A man is fearing for his safety on a daily basis as an enormous 550-pound bear has started living underneath his house. Kenneth Johnson, 63, discovered the huge black bear had moved in just before the festive period.
California man Mr Johnson has now threatened legal action against the state after the Department of Fish and Wildlife failed to evict the beast.
He discovered that the massive animal had made itself at home under his £1.2 million Altadena residence just before Thanksgiving, reports the Mirror US. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) attempted to capture the bear, dubbed Yellow 2120 by scientists, using bait and noise-making devices.
But their efforts proved unsuccessful when, on December 9, they ensnared a smaller bear by mistake.
“I knew my bear hadn’t gone out because I’ve got enough cameras on it,” Johnson told the Los Angeles Times.
The department freed the smaller bear, yet Yellow 2120 continues to plague his property despite his attempts to force the creature out.
Johnson revealed to KTLA that he rigged up a makeshift burglar alarm cushioned with foam to create a loud rattling sound, then burned CDs containing hours of continuous dog barking and directed speakers towards the air vents.
“If I kept track of everything I tried, it would be Bear 14, Homeowner 0,” Johnson told KTLA.
He’s now threatening to take the department to court, accusing officials of carelessness and emotional distress after Johnson claimed they suddenly told him to stand down on his efforts to remove the bear.
“I felt very defeated. I just dropped,” he said. “Now what? It’s all up to me, and I’m supposed to watch my phone when he comes out in the middle of the night? Or sleep in the kitchen and listen for him every night?”
Johnson even asked if he could continue trying to coax the bear out himself, only to be told, “No, can’t do that.
“This has gone on long enough, and it’s something that they should deal with. It’s a tagged bear. They’ve dealt with it before. They chose not to euthanise it, and now it’s back and it’s just going to keep on doing this,” Johnson added.
A representative from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife told the Daily Mail the department is committed to helping Johnson.
The spokesperson 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. We remain committed to helping this homeowner and have never indicated otherwise.
“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. CDFW has also advised that the crawlspace be secured on the multiple occasions the bear has left the home, which is a critically important step to help ensure the bear cannot return.”
The spokesperson further stated, “CDFW has and will continue to engage with the homeowner to advise on hazing methodologies and the critical need to close the crawlspace, monitor cameras, and offer support to help ensure the bear leaves the crawlspace and finds more suitable habitat.”
As reported by the Los Angeles Times, officials recognised Yellow 2120 as a bear that was previously trapped near Altadena last year and relocated approximately 10 miles from Johnson’s residence.
Johnson expressed his ongoing concern to local press, stating he can still hear the bear’s movements and is worried for his safety.
“I can hear the plastic being shredded underneath, and one of the cameras picked it up just bulldozing through it. It’s a mess under there,” Johnson said.
“I’m just exhausted from the whole thing,” he admitted. “I get my mind off it for a little bit, and then suddenly I get flooded back with, oh that’s right, I can’t take a hot shower. I’ve got to monitor the situation all the time.”
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