Grizzly 399 with cubs, June 2020 / StevenPDeVries – Wikipedia
Grizzly bear 399 has returned home. The beloved, world-famous mama bear to nearly two dozen cubs was killed in Wyoming last week when she was struck by a car in the Snake River Canyon south of Grand Teton National Park. Her remains were cremated and then brought back to the park on Friday. She was laid to rest as her ashes were spread near Pilgrim Creek, an area where the bear spent much of her life.
“Grizzly bear #399 captivated people around the world, inspiring many to learn about the conservation of this important species,” said Hilary Cooley, Grizzly Bear Recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “We received an outpouring of appreciation for #399 and aimed to honor these sentiments in handling her remains.”
It’s thought that Grizzly 399 was 28 years old at the time of her death. For years, she’d raised litters of cubs, often in areas frequented by tourists and photographers, many of whom took on a kind of one-sided friendship with the bear. She’d even inspired a local fanclub.
The mama bear had a year-old cub with her at the time of her death, but the cub’s whereabouts are unknown. Grizzly 399 was 27 when that cub was born, making her the oldest monitored grizzly in the history of the Great Yellowstone Ecosystem to produce a cub.
“Grizzly bear #399’s life brought global attention to the grizzly population in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and underscored the unique opportunity and responsibility to coexist with these iconic animals,” the National Park Service wrote in a statement.
“399 will always be part of this special place,” said Grand Teton Superintendent Chip Jenkins. “However, there is still work to do to ensure her descendants and all grizzly bears continue to thrive in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. It’s up to all of us to make sure they do.”
Officials at Grant Teton National Park will continue to work toward finding ways to honor Grizzly 399’s legacy “through education and conservation efforts.”
Learn more about coexisting with grizzly bears at https://igbconline.org/be-bear-aware/.
