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A trap set to capture a 550-pound bear living under a home in Altadena, California, has accidentally caught the wrong animal, according to local media outlet The Los Angeles Times.
The misstep marks yet another failed attempt to remove the male black bear, which has been denning on the property for at least a month.
According to surveillance video, the large bear has been wedging itself in and out of a small crawlspace beneath homeowner Ken Johnson’s house since late November.
Following weeks of unsuccessful attempts to flush out the bear with the use of bait and noisemakers, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) set a bear trap on Dec. 9, LA Times reported.
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Roughly one week later, Johnson reportedly heard the metal cage rattling from inside his home but later realized that the wrong bear had been captured.
“CDFW biologists have set up traps with bait, installed cameras and lights for remote monitoring, and worked repeatedly to haze the bear from this property,” the agency told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
“CDFW has also advised that the crawlspace be secured on the multiple occasions the bear has left the home, which is a critically important step to help ensure the bear cannot return,” it added. “CDFW has and will continue to engage with the homeowner to advise on hazing methodologies and the critical need to close the crawlspace, monitor cameras, and offer support to help ensure the bear leaves the crawlspace and finds more suitable habitat.”
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The bear that was caught was later tagged and released in a nearby suitable habitat, the department told LA Times.
The outlet added that Johnson reportedly made multiple efforts to scare the bear away, including creating a loud makeshift alarm and playing hours of dog-barking sounds through speakers pointed into the vents.
However, none of it has worked.
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Bear sightings are common in Altadena, located at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains.
According to the local outlet, Johnson and his neighbors frequently spot bears, especially on trash days, and recently, a second bear even entered the crawlspace before being scared off by the original squatter.
The CDFW added that despite the failed attempts, the agency remains committed to removing the bear from the residential property.
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“The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is committed to helping Californians across the state who are having unwelcome encounters with wildlife, which can cause stress and pose complicated challenges for peaceful coexistence,” the agency told Fox News Digital.
“Despite very limited staff, CDFW biologists have been in constant communication with this homeowner since this bear was reported entering his unsecured crawlspace in November. We remain committed to helping this homeowner and have never indicated otherwise.”
