Man Says 550-Pound Bear Has Taken Over His Home

An Altadena homeowner says he’s living a nightmare straight out of a monster movie — because a 550-pound black bear has moved in under his house and refuses to leave.

Ken Johnson, 63, says the hulking beast has been living in the crawl space below his home for more than a month, shaking the floors, breaking a gas line, and keeping him up at night with guttural growls that “sound like a dragon.”

“It’s absolutely terrifying,” Johnson told KABC. “You hear this deep rumble from below — like the earth itself is breathing. I thought he’d be gone by now, but he’s settling in. I’m scared this is going to end badly.”

Johnson first realized something was wrong when his house started vibrating. “At first I thought it was an earthquake,” he said. “Then I looked down through a vent and saw fur — a lot of it.”

Wildlife officials later confirmed the massive animal had burrowed under the home and built itself a makeshift den. In the process, the bear destroyed a gas line, forcing Johnson to cut off the entire supply.

“I’ve lived here for 20 years and never imagined I’d be sharing my house with a 550-pound wild animal,” he said. “Every night, it scratches and huffs — it’s like living over a cave full of monsters.”

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has been trying for weeks to remove the animal, but the bear refuses to budge. Cort Klopping, a spokesperson for the department, told ABC News that traps, floodlights, and baited cages have all been set up — but so far, the creature seems unfazed.

“Despite limited staff, our biologists have been in constant communication with the homeowner since November,” Klopping said. “We’ve tried hazing techniques, installed cameras, and set up traps. The bear just keeps coming back.”

Locals have nicknamed the animal “Big Bear Ben,” and several residents claim to have spotted it wandering through nearby yards before returning to Johnson’s property at night.

Experts say these kinds of run-ins are becoming more common. California’s black bear population has exploded in recent years — now estimated between 49,000 and 71,000 — as urban sprawl pushes deeper into their mountain habitats.

“They’re learning that humans mean easy food and warm shelter,” said one BEAR League volunteer. “Under decks, in garages, even crawl spaces — if it’s dark and cozy, they’ll take it.”

The nonprofit warns that bears can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage, tearing apart insulation, plumbing, and wiring. “Once they move in, they don’t want to leave,” the group said in a statement.

For now, Johnson says he’s afraid to even walk around his home alone. “Every time I hear a thud or a growl, I freeze,” he said. “It’s my house, but it feels like he owns it now.”

Officials continue monitoring the situation — but until “Big Bear Ben” decides to leave, one California man is living with the kind of roommate most people only see in nightmares.

“It’s surreal,” Johnson said. “You go to bed wondering if the floor’s going to cave in — or if he’s going to come through it.”