Bear Takes Up Residence Under Altadena Home, Evades Capture for Weeks

Bear Occupies Altadena Crawl Space

• 🐻 A resident in Altadena discovered a large bear that had made its home in the crawl space beneath their house.
• 🏠 The bear is believed to have been there for approximately 45 days, with the family requesting their address not be revealed.
• 📍 This incident occurred in a neighborhood near Altadena Drive and Mariposa Avenue, less than half a mile from another home where a bear previously resided.

Previous Capture Attempts and Damage

• 🎯 The bear, estimated to weigh around 500 pounds, reportedly moved into the crawl space near Thanksgiving.
• 💥 Previous attempts by the homeowner and state wildlife officials to lure the bear out using methods like air horns and paintball guns were unsuccessful.
• ⚠️ The homeowner noted that the bear caused some damage around a gas line under the home.

Successful Eviction and Prevention

• 🤝 After Christmas, a nonprofit called Bear League from Northern California offered assistance.
• ⚡ They used paintball guns to encourage the bear to leave, and the homeowner then installed an electrified mat over the opening, scaring the bear away when it attempted to return.

Community and Wildlife Encounters

• 🗣️ It is unclear if this is the same bear that previously lived under a home in the same neighborhood for six weeks.
• 🌲 An Altadena resident shared a past encounter with a bear on her property, emphasizing their size and strength.
• 🔒 She also highlighted the importance of securing crawl spaces, as her family has done, due to common wildlife sightings in the area, including coyotes.
• 📞 KTLA reached out to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for comment on the recent sighting.