Additional Coverage:
- California man trapped in nightmare as 550lb bear takes over home and state refuses help (themirror.com)
Homeowner Threatens Lawsuit Over Unwanted, 550-Pound Houseguest
Altadena, CA – Imagine settling into your $1.5 million Altadena home, ready for the holidays, only to discover a colossal 550-pound black bear has decided your crawlspace is prime real estate. That’s precisely the predicament Kenneth Johnson, 63, found himself in just before Thanksgiving, and now he’s threatening to sue the state over the persistent, furry squatter.
The unwelcome tenant, identified by researchers as “Yellow 2120,” has proven to be a formidable opponent for both Johnson and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW). Despite attempts with bait and noisemakers, CDFW’s efforts to evict the behemoth on December 9th proved fruitless, trapping only a smaller, less imposing bear instead. “I knew my bear hadn’t gone out because I’ve got enough cameras on it,” Johnson told the Los Angeles Times, indicating his intimate, albeit unwanted, knowledge of Yellow 2120’s movements.
Growing increasingly desperate, Johnson resorted to a series of creative, if not slightly eccentric, tactics. He improvised a foam-padded burglar alarm for maximum rattling effect and blasted hours of dog-barking loops from speakers aimed into his vents. “If I kept track of everything I tried, it would be Bear 14, Homeowner 0,” Johnson lamented to KTLA, summing up his losing battle.
The situation has escalated to the point where Johnson is now accusing CDFW officials of carelessness and emotional distress. He claims that after weeks of trying to remove the bear, officials suddenly instructed him to cease his efforts.
“I felt very defeated. I just dropped.
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?” he expressed.
His request to continue his own hazing attempts was met with a firm “No, can’t do that.”
Johnson believes the state has a responsibility to act. “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 euthanize it, and now it’s back and it’s just going to keep on doing this,” he stated, referring to Yellow 2120’s history of being trapped and relocated approximately 10 miles from his home last year.
A CDFW spokesperson, however, maintains their commitment to assisting Johnson. “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,” the spokesperson informed the Daily Mail.
The department also highlighted their extensive efforts, including setting traps, installing cameras and lights for monitoring, and repeatedly hazing the bear. They also stressed the crucial need for Johnson to secure his crawlspace whenever the bear vacates, preventing its return.
For now, Johnson remains on edge, hearing the bear “bulldozing” through plastic underneath his home. “I’m just exhausted from the whole thing,” he said.
“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.”
The saga of Kenneth Johnson and his enormous, unwelcome guest continues, with legal action now a looming possibility.