A big bear weighing a quarter ton was discovered sheltering beneath a home evacuated during a blazing wildfire, California wildlife officials said.
When the Altadena homeowner returned last week after Eaton Fire evacuation orders were removed, a utility company notified him that the electricity could not be restored, according to a Facebook post from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on January 29.
For the following 24 hours, Environmental Scientist Kevin Howells worked with a team of eight to remove the 525-pound bear, according to officials.
After examining the crawl space and the animal’s sheer size, Howells and his crew determined that tranquilizing the bear was not an option, officials said.
Instead, they concluded that the best shot was to place a trap near the crawlspace entry in the hopes that the bear would stroll in.
And, indeed, “within minutes of placing the trap,” the bear left the crawl area and entered the trap, officials reported.
Officials claimed they carried the caught bear to Angeles National Forest, where it was medically evaluated, fitted with a GPS collar, and measured.
Officials then freed the bear “just after midnight.”
Official photos of the bear indicate its gigantic size, which Facebook users quickly commented on.
“That’s a big boy,” one person noted, while another added, “Man, that’s a big bear.”
According to officials, the home’s utilities have been reconnected, and the crawl space has been boarded and protected to prevent bears from entering.
“In the foothills of bear country, it’s important to close crawl spaces with bear-proof material in advance of winter months to discourage bears from denning and damaging property,” officials told CNN.
Altadena is around 15 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
