500-pound bear evicted after living under California home for months

A 500-plus-pound bear living underneath a residence in Southern California has departed the space it called home for months, according to the nonprofit that helped evict the large mammal.

BEAR League announced in a Facebook post on Jan. 8 that it helped remove the bear from Kenneth Johnson’s home after he reached out to the nonprofit. Johnson previously told the Los Angeles Times and KTLA that he found signs of something living under his home as early as April 2025, but he didn’t know what it was for sure until November, when a security camera caught the bear sneaking into a crawl space.

At an estimated weight of 500-plus pounds, the bear “barely fit into the crawlspace and caused extensive damage to the home’s heating ducts,” according to BEAR League. Concerned over a possibly damaged gas line, Johnson shut off his gas service just before Christmas, the nonprofit said.

BEAR League said it stepped in to evict the bear after earlier removal attempts by state wildlife officials were unsuccessful. Two first responders with the nonprofit traveled to Johnson’s home, where one of them crawled beneath the residence — “fully aware the bear was still there” — to get behind the animal and “encourage him to exit through the crawlspace opening,” according to Lake Tahoe-based the nonprofit.

The nonprofit also said it loaned Johnson electric unwelcome mats, which shock bears when they step on them, to give him time to make repairs and secure the crawlspace to prevent future visits.

“If you live in bear country, securing your crawlspace is essential. This time of year, BEAR League evicts multiple bears from under homes every day,” BEAR League said.

Kenneth Johnson creates GoFundMe to help with repairs

At the bottom of BEAR League’s social media post, the nonprofit linked to Johnson’s GoFundMe page, which he created to help cover repair costs.

According to Johnson’s fundraiser page, the 500-plus-pound bear dwelled underneath his home in Altadena for over a month, causing “tens of thousands of dollars in damage.”

“I’m in a situation I never imagined,” Johnson wrote on the fundraising page.

Johnson further explained his current employment situation, saying that right after surviving the Eaton fire in early January 2025, he lost his job, and shortly after that, the “bear began tearing into the structure of (his) home.”

“I have video footage of it twisting gas pipes, which created an extremely dangerous situation and forced me to shut off my utilities just to stay safe,” he continued.

The funds would also go toward making Johnson’s home “safe and livable again,” which includes paying for professional traps. As of Jan. 10, the GoFundMe has raised over $8,000; however, its goal is $13,000.

Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com.