Two La Crescenta schools were placed in temporary shelter-in-place on Tuesday when a bear cub was spotted in a tree near their campuses.
According to the Los Angels County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were dispatched to the area, near the 2900 block of Community Avenue and the campuses of Crescenta Valley High School and La Crescenta Elementary School, after the bear was spotted.
Glendale Unified School District officials said both campuses were affected around lunchtime when the bear was on the move.
“Otherwise, the school day continued as normal,” district officials said, noting that both schools were dismissed at their normal times. CVHS had students leave through a gate on the other side of the school where the bear was spotted.
SkyCal flew over the area Tuesday afternoon and briefly spotted the cub in a tree about 20 feet in the air.
As the bear continued to roam the neighborhood, video captured the moments it jumped into a nearby dumpster, munching on some snacks as it looked around at the dozens of bystanders watching from afar.
Department of Fish & Wildlife officials were called to the scene to ensure the bear could be safely relocated. Just before 6:30 p.m., they said the bear appeared to have returned to the wilderness on its own and that they would send crews in the morning to verify.
