This week brought tragic news to the world of wildlife — 399, a grizzly bear mother famous in Grand Teton National Park and beyond, died after being struck by a car.
“People from around the world have followed grizzly bear 399 for several decades,” Hilary Cooley, grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said in a statement about the animal’s death released by the National Park Service. At 28, she was the oldest known reproducing female grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, an area about 22 million acres located within the northern Rocky Mountains in northwestern Wyoming, southwestern Montana and eastern Idaho.
399, known by her research name, has been a fixture in Grand Teton National Park since 2007. At the time of the fatal accident Tuesday evening, 399 had a yearling cub with her whose whereabouts remain unknown. There is no evidence to suggest the baby bear was also involved in the incident, according to the National Park Service, which says it is monitoring the area.
The majestic mama bear birthed 28 cubs. More than 58,000 fans follow an Instagram account that shares snapshots of 399’s life — ambling through the grass with her babies, bathing with them, emerging from hibernation with snow speckled on her snout.
Artists have painted and sculpted 399 and her cubs, she has graced book covers and been a favorite photography subject. PBS documentary series Nature featured an episode about her called “Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons” that detailed perils faced by the bear and her four-cub litter, including a warming climate, human encroachment in bear country and the threat of them losing protection under the Endangered Species Act. The episode will stream through Nov. 11.
The fatal accident happened on a highway in Snake River Canyon south of Jackson, Wyo. Wildlife experts confirmed the bear’s identity through ear tags and a microchip.
“The grizzly bear is an iconic species that helps make the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem so extraordinary. Grizzly bear 399 has been perhaps the most prominent ambassador for the species,” said Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins. “She has inspired countless visitors into conservation stewardship around the world and will be missed.”
Not Uncommon For Cars To Kill Wildlife
Heartbreak filled the comments section when the Grand Teton National Park shared the news on Facebook on Wednesday, as did frustration and anger over 399 dying at human hands. The National Park Service did not share further details about the accident, only that the driver is okay.
“Such an undignified way for her to die,” wrote Facebook user Marty K Biscan. “It’s heartbreaking. I hope her cub can survive.”
Unfortunately, vehicle collisions with wildlife, including grizzly bears, are not uncommon. Between 2009 and 2023, according to the National Park Service, vehicle collisions in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem have led to the deaths of 49 grizzly bears.
“This is a tragedy,” Facebook user Nicole Ibach Kemble wrote, “ but it will be an even greater one if we humans don’t honor her legacy and do better coexisting with our fragile wildlife.”
