Shy, ‘handsome’ bear bumps camera in ‘incredibly rare’ California cave sighting
As a lone black bear searched for sustenance, it found itself in a cave at a national monument in California.
The bear was spotted “taking a drink of cool, refreshing cave water” on a wildlife camera at Lava Beds National Monument in late August, park officials said in a Sept. 13 Facebook post.
“Occasionally, caves at Lava Beds can sustain year-round pools of water,” officials said. “With no available surface water, these pools are a critical resource for wildlife, like this handsome fella!”
After taking a sip of water, the bear made a quick adjustment.
“(The bear) tried to help us out by realigning our wildlife camera for the resources team,” officials quipped.
A short clip of the bear shared to Facebook shows it lift its head after taking a sip of water, then the camera is bumped such that it points in a new direction.
“Black bear sightings in the Monument are incredibly rare, so don’t worry too much about running into Yogi here on your next trip to Valentine (Cave),” park officials said.
Lava Beds National Monument, in Northern California below the Oregon border, “is a land of turmoil, both geological and historical,” according to the National Park Service.
“Over the last half-million years, volcanic eruptions on the Medicine Lake shield volcano have created a rugged landscape dotted with diverse volcanic features,” NPS said, adding that the park features “more than 800 caves, Native American rock art sites, historic battlefields and campsites, and a high desert wilderness.”
A number of other mammals, including American pikas, bobcats, mountain lions and mule deer, have adapted to living in the area’s “dry environment, and many take advantage of the shelter provided by the numerous lava tube caves,” according to NPS.
This story was originally published September 16, 2025 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Shy, ‘handsome’ bear bumps camera in ‘incredibly rare’ California cave sighting."
