Bear Entertains California Water Office in Surprise Visit

A black bear unexpectedly visited a water district office in Southern California’s San Bernardino Mountains. The bear pushed open the front door and briefly explored the building before heading back into the forest.

Footage from the Crestline Village Water District’s surveillance cameras caught the bear entering on a Wednesday afternoon. Employees witnessed this unusual visitor as the bear sniffed around and wandered through various parts of the office.

It was exciting. It was really cool to see a bear that close. It’s rare that we’re that close to them, said Josselyn Brian, a Crestline Village Water District employee. Thankfully, no one was in danger. There were no customers in there at the time, so it couldn’t have been better. Scary but wonderful, she added.

According to employees, the bear left the office on its own and returned to the woods. No injuries or property damage occurred during the encounter.

This incident follows other unusual bear sightings. Recently, a different bear in rural New Mexico climbed atop a utility pole. Located near Gladstone, the event was captured on camera and went viral after being shared by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The department’s social media post joked, We appreciate the enthusiasm for American Energy Dominance, but this isn’t what we meant. Sadly, the bear was electrocuted before wildlife officials could safely rescue it, according to the New York Post.

Experts note that black bears are adept climbers. They often scale trees, utility poles, or other structures when startled by humans, traffic, or dogs. Encounters with bears searching for food in neighborhoods are not rare in mountain areas like Crestline, though a bear entering an office building is particularly uncommon.