A massive bear weighing a quarter ton was discovered hiding beneath a home evacuated during a raging wildfire, California wildlife officials said.
When an Altadena homeowner returned last week after Eaton Fire evacuation orders were lifted, a utility company informed him that the power could not be restored, according to a January statement from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Environmental Scientist Kevin Howells and an eight-person team worked for the next 24 hours to remove the 525-pound bear, according to officials.
After assessing the crawl space and the bear’s sheer size, Howells and his team determined that tranquilizing the bear was not an option, officials said.
Instead, they decided that the best bet was to place a trap near the crawlspace opening in the hopes that the bear would wander in.
And, indeed, “within minutes of placing the trap,” the bear left the crawl space and entered the trap, officials reported.
Officials said they took the trapped bear to Angeles National Forest, where it was medically evaluated, fitted with a GPS collar, and measured.
Officials then released the bear “just after midnight.”
One user commented, “That is a big boy,” while another said, “Man, that is a big bear.”
According to officials, the home’s utilities have been restored, and the crawl space has been boarded and secured to prevent bears from entering.
“In the foothills of bear country, it is 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 about 15 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
