Home owner Ken Johnson had previously threatened to sue the state after the Department of Fish and Wildlife, previously failed in their attempts to capture the bear
20:16, 09 Jan 2026Updated 20:23, 09 Jan 2026
Ken Johnson shared his house with the 500-pound intruder for weeks after it took up residence beneath his floorboards(Image: Ken Johnson/KTLA 5)
A black bear that set up home under a house for more than a month has finally been evicted after the owner called in a team of specialists.
The huge animal, named Yellow 2120 by researchers, made its den in the crawl space under the $1.5million property in Los Angeles around Thanksgiving, twisting gas lines and toppling bricks as he came and went. Surveillance video also showed the bear tearing away screening and other obstacles and easily squeezing through a small opening.
Ken Johnson said he originally asked state wildlife officials for help at his home, but the air horns and paintball guns they deployed didn’t work. He later turned to BEAR League, a California-based non-profit that boasts of specialising in “living in harmony with bears.”
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The bear was finally evicted after a specialist team moved in to remove it from Ken Johnson’s Los Angeles home(Image: Ken Johnson/KTLA 5)
In a social media post, the group said one of its most experienced responders crawled beneath the home and got behind the bear, which it estimated weighs more than 500 pounds, to encourage the animal to leave.
Mr Johnson, 63, said: “I couldn’t believe it was so fast. These guys went in, they crawled in behind him and, boom, he was out.” The group then placed an “unwelcome” mat, which delivers an electric shock, at the opening. Video footage later showed the bear returning to the house, stepping on the mat and then running away.
The homeowner said the bear caused thousands of dollars in damage, which he said has been particularly tough to deal with because he lost his job after last year’s Eaton wildfire. He added he is seeking to repair the damage and make his house liveable again.
Mr Johnson had previously threatened to sue the state after the Department of Fish and Wildlife, who previously attempted to capture the bear with bait and noisemakers and they trapped a smaller bear instead. He also improvised a burglar alarm padded with foam so it rattled loudly, then burned CDs of hours-long dog-barking loops and aimed speakers into the vents.
Experts placed an “unwelcome” mat, which delivers an electric shock, at the opening of the bear’s den to stop it returning(Image: Ken Johnson/KTLA 5)
He admitted: “If I kept track of everything I tried, it would be Bear 14, Homeowner 0. 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?”.
Johnson even asked if he could keep attempting to lure the bear out on his own and was told, “No, can’t do that.”
Mr Johnson described having the bear around as “unsettling”.
Since the eviction, the bear has come back at least once before moving on, he said.