A black bear entered the Crestline Village Water District office in the San Bernardino Mountains on Wednesday afternoon, according to surveillance video. Employees observed the bear push open the front door and wander through the building before leaving.
"It was exciting. It was really cool to see a bear that close," said Crestline Village Water District employee Josselyn Brian. "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."
The bear spent several moments sniffing around the office and exploring the interior before returning to the entrance, pushing the door open again, and exiting on its own. No injuries were reported, and the animal did not appear to damage the building. Employees reported seeing the bear return to the surrounding forest.
This incident follows another unusual bear encounter earlier in the week in rural New Mexico. A bear climbed to the top of a utility pole near Gladstone. Video of this event was shared by the U.S. Department of the Interior. Wildlife officials were notified but could not safely tranquilize the bear due to the risk of it falling. The bear later died from electrocution.
Wildlife experts note that black bears are capable climbers and may ascend structures like trees or utility poles when startled. Encounters with bears are not uncommon in mountain communities like Crestline, where bears frequently enter residential areas in search of food. However, a bear entering an office building is considered a considerably more unusual occurrence.