How did a bear get under the Los Angeles homeowner's house?

The bear was able to squeeze through a small, mesh-covered opening near the basement of the house.

What efforts were made to remove the bear from under the house?

Attempts included loud music, creating disturbances, setting bear traps with scent lures, and eventually using paintball guns with vegetable oil pellets to coax the bear out.

What was the outcome after the bear was removed from under the house?

The homeowner assessed the significant damage to his house, and the opening was secured with an electrified mat to prevent the bear from returning.

Home / Environment / Bear-Sized Tenant Evicted From Underneath LA Home

Bear-Sized Tenant Evicted From Underneath LA Home

30 Jan

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Summary

A large black bear inhabited the space under a Los Angeles home for weeks.
The homeowner endured significant stress and damage due to the bear's presence.
Specialized wildlife removal experts eventually coaxed the bear out.

Bear-Sized Tenant Evicted From Underneath LA Home

A homeowner in Los Angeles discovered a large black bear had taken up residence in the small basement area beneath his house. This unexpected tenant was first detected via motion-activated cameras last November, and its ability to fit through a small opening shocked the resident. The bear's presence led to significant anxiety and disrupted the homeowner's daily life, creating a surreal duality of 'ordinary life' and 'life with the bear.'

Despite various attempts to drive the bear away, including loud music and creating disturbances, the animal remained. The situation escalated with the involvement of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, who deployed bear traps and scent lures unsuccessfully. The bear, weighing an estimated 550 pounds (250kg), would emerge at night but always retreated back under the house, causing noticeable damage to the structure.

Eventually, specialists from the organization Bear League successfully removed the bear. They entered the confined space and used paintball guns firing vegetable oil pellets to encourage the animal to exit. Following the eviction, the homeowner reported mixed feelings, expressing pity for the bear while assessing the extensive damage to his property. The opening has since been secured with an electrified mat to prevent further intrusions.