Black Bear Visits Southern California Office

A small black bear entered the Crestline Village Water District office in Southern California, surprising employees as it explored the building before returning to the forest. Surveillance footage captured the bear pushing open the front door of the office located in the San Bernardino Mountains. Employees witnessed the bear sniff around the office briefly.

“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, an employee at the Crestline Village Water District.

The bear left the office on its own after a few minutes, having not harmed anyone or damaged anything. Employees observed as it wandered back into the woods. This bear sighting is among recent bear-related incidents that have intrigued many this week.

In a separate incident, a bear in New Mexico climbed a utility pole near Gladstone, east of Santa Fe. This event was recorded on video and 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 humorously remarked in a social media post accompanying the footage. Despite attempts by wildlife officials to safely rescue the bear, it was tragically electrocuted.

Wildlife experts note that black bears are proficient climbers. They often ascend trees, poles or other structures when startled by human activity. In regions like Crestline, bears frequently search for food in neighborhoods, making encounters with humans common.

Brittany Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital and previously worked as a reporter for the Independent. She graduated from Syracuse University in 2023.