The 550lb black bear that gained attention for living under an Altadena home has returned to the Los Angeles neighborhood, taking up residence in the crawlspace of another house. Known as “Yellow 2120”, the bear was spotted on Minoru Drive on Monday.
Homeowners’ attempts to scare the bear
Steve Clark, whose in-laws live at the property, told NBC LA that they monitored the bear through security cameras and tried to scare it away by playing loud music and using a leaf blower. “I didn’t even realize that the bear could get all the way back to that access point. He has to rip out ductwork and do a bunch of damage to get there,” Clark said.
Despite these efforts, the bear left on its own. The homeowners have sealed their crawlspace, but neighbours remain alert in case the bear moves in with them next.
Previous residence and eviction
“Yellow 2120” previously lived under another Altadena home for two months. In November 2025, homeowner Ken Johnson noticed the bear leaving the crawlspace and contacted California’s department of fish and wildlife for help. After sweet-scented lures and ammonia-doused towels failed, Johnson sought assistance from the Bear League, a volunteer organization that helps humans coexist with bears, which forced the bear out using paintball guns.
“He’s a nuisance and he’s living under my house rent-free,” Johnson told the Orange County Register at the time. “We call him … unbearable, but he’s so cute. Once he gets out, we’ll call him bearable, but for now it’s unbearable.”
Impact of wildfire and rising sightings
After the Eaton wildfire scorched parts of Altadena in January 2025, wildlife, including several bears, sought shelter in the community. At least two 500-plus-pound black bears took refuge in homes evacuated during the fire. It is unclear whether “Yellow 2120” was one of them, but he had previously lived under another Altadena home, said Cort Klopping, a fish and wildlife spokesperson.
Bear sightings are increasing as cities encroach on bear habitats. In 2017, California recorded 28 bear sightings in Los Angeles county; in 2023, that number rose to 455. Alex Heeran, a research scientist at the California department of fish and wildlife, told the Guardian that bear interactions typically peak in late summer and early fall, and this year is on track to be record-setting for reported encounters.
Black bears, the only bear species in California, are largely non-confrontational, having killed only one person in the state’s recorded history. The population is estimated between 49,000 and 71,000, with 50% in the north coast and Cascade regions and 40% in the Sierra Nevada.
