A Southern California man in the United States, returned home after January devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area to find an unexpected visitor had taken up residence beneath his house.
Samy Arbid told CNN he discovered a 525-pound adult male black bear living under his home in Altadena, California, following the Eaton Fire, which scorched over 14,000 acres and ranks among the top three most destructive wildfires in state history, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The bear, which managed to survive the fire under Arbid’s house, posed a challenge for wildlife officials who had to think creatively to safely remove him.
Known to locals as “Barry,” the bear has been a familiar presence in the neighbourhood for quite some time. Arbid described him as a laid-back creature who generally keeps to himself.
According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, black bears are the only bear species that live in California. Although Arbid and his wife had been warned about bears in the area, they never expected one to move in so close.
“We had heard from neighbours that there’s, you know, this big bear. He comes around all the time,” Arbid said. “Nobody knew that the bear was actually living under our house. So that was a surprise to everybody.”
The couple first became aware of Barry’s presence when they started hearing strange noises under their home. Initially, they thought it might be a small animal. However, the occasional hisses and growls soon led to a shocking discovery.
“We thought it was probably an opossum or something,” Arbid explained. “Sure enough, I put a camera under there, and we saw this huge bear.”
While most residents evacuated the Altadena area during the fire, Barry opted to stay put, using the crawl space under the house as a secure refuge from the flames. A fish and wildlife biologist later explained to Arbid why the bear might have stayed despite the danger.
“The smoke won’t deter them,” Arbid said. “If they find a place they feel secure, nothing will deter them.”
Barry was eventually relocated to Angeles National Forest after wildlife officials removed him from under the house.
Until then, the presence of the bear had halted utility services to the home. SoCalGas refused to service the house while Barry was still there, Arbid said, joking that the bear wouldn’t exactly make for a great coworker.
Without power, the Arbid family needed urgent help from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to move Barry as quickly as possible.
The team faced the tough task of coaxing a massive bear out of a tight space without resorting to anesthesia, which wasn’t considered safe for an animal of Barry’s size.
Fish and wildlife biologist Kevin Howells led a team of eight wildlife experts in the 24-hour effort to extract Barry. The team monitored his behavior closely with cameras set up from multiple angles, ensuring the operation went as smoothly as possible.
In the end, a clever plan and the scent of a rotisserie chicken did the trick. The team used the chicken to lure Barry out of his hiding spot and into a bear trap, safely securing him before beginning his relocation process, according to CNN affiliate KCAL.
Barry was given a health check and fitted with a GPS collar before being released into Angeles National Forest, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed.
