The California Department of Fish and Wildlife trapped a bear while attempting to capture a separate 550‑lb animal believed to be living in the crawl space under an Altadena home. Biologists processed, tagged and relocated the trapped animal, but video comparison showed it was not the same bear identified as Yellow 2120. Homeowner Kenneth Johnson documented damage starting in February, set up cameras in June and recorded the large bear entering the crawl space in November. CDFW continues to search for the larger bear and urges residents to avoid confrontations and secure attractants.
Trap Captures Wrong Bear as Officials Continue Hunt for 550‑lb Crawl‑Space Bear in Altadena
California Department of Fish and WildlifeWrong bear in the bear trap.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is still searching for a large bear believed to be living in the crawl space beneath a home in Altadena after a recently deployed live trap caught a different animal.
Homeowner Kenneth Johnson first noticed signs of an intruder in February, shortly after wildfires in the Los Angeles area were brought under control. He found shifted bricks and a broken wooden frame around the crawl-space entrance. After more damage appeared in June, Johnson installed a motion-activated camera to identify the culprit.
The footage showed a very large bear repeatedly passing the camera, but Johnson assumed it was too big to fit under the house. In November he finally recorded the bear squeezing through the small crawl-space opening, proving the animal had been entering the space despite its size.
California Department of Fish and WildlifeWrong bear in the bear trap.
"I don't know how it got under there. It must be a contortionist. This thing is so big its stomach touches the ground," Johnson told the Los Angeles Times. He added that he avoids the side of the house when the bear is active and has not had a direct confrontation.
When CDFW set a live trap to capture the animal known as Yellow 2120 (the bear believed to be under the house), the trap did catch a bear — but not the same one shown entering the crawl space. CDFW spokeswoman Cort Klopping told PEOPLE that a "non-target" bear was trapped, processed, tagged and relocated to a nearby suitable habitat.
Officials compared the video of the crawl-space bear with images of the captured animal and determined they are different. The bear still being sought is estimated at roughly 550 pounds and appears brownish, though CDFW has noted that wild brown bears are not native to California, leaving its exact classification uncertain.
CDFW emphasized that the incident highlights the sizable bear population in the San Gabriel Valley and reminded residents to take precautions: secure attractants, avoid approaching bears, and contact CDFW or local animal control for assistance rather than attempting to handle wild animals themselves.
Johnson said his closest encounter came while changing the camera batteries; he heard a growl and a hiss and immediately retreated. CDFW continues to investigate and monitor the area as biologists try alternative methods to locate and safely remove Yellow 2120 from beneath the home.
