A black bear made an unexpected visit to a Southern California water district office Wednesday, nudging open the front door and stepping inside before eventually heading back into the nearby forest.
Surveillance footage from the Crestline Village Water District, located in the San Bernardino Mountains, shows the small black bear entering the office Wednesday afternoon as employees looked on during the surprising wildlife encounter.
The bear lingered for several moments, sniffing around and roaming through part of the building. After its brief tour, it returned to the entrance, pushed the door open once more and walked out on its own.
A black bear pushes open the front door as it leaves the Crestline Village Water District office in California on Wednesday. (Crestline Village Water District)
“It was exciting. It was really cool to see a bear that close. It’s rare that we’re that close to them,” Crestline Village Water District employee Josselyn Brian told KTLA. “Thankfully, no one was in danger. There were no customers in there at the time. It was just us. So, it couldn’t have been better. Scary, but wonderful.”
Workers told the station they watched the bear wander back into the woods after leaving the office. No injuries were reported, and the animal did not appear to cause any damage to the building.
The Southern California bear encounter is the latest unusual run-in with a black bear to draw attention this week.
A black bear pushes open an office door before wandering inside. (Crestline Village Water District)
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Earlier this week, a bear in rural New Mexico climbed to the top of a utility pole near Gladstone, about 170 miles east of Santa Fe, in an encounter that was captured on video and later shared by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
“We appreciate the enthusiasm for American Energy Dominance, but this isn’t what we meant,” the department joked in a social media post accompanying the footage.
The video, verified by Storyful, also included audio from a 911 caller reporting the unusual sight.
A black bear wanders through the lobby of the Crestline Village Water District office in California after entering the building. (Crestline Village Water District)
“I’m calling to report a bear on top of a light pole,” the caller told a dispatcher.
The dispatcher said wildlife officials had already been notified but could not safely tranquilize the animal while it remained atop the pole because it could fall.
The bear later died after being electrocuted before wildlife officials could safely rescue it, the New York Post reported.
Wildlife experts say black bears are strong climbers and may scale trees, utility poles or other tall structures when startled by people, traffic or dogs.
In mountain communities like Crestline, where bears regularly roam neighborhoods in search of food, encounters with people are not uncommon, though one wandering into an office building is considerably more unusual.
