During her nearly three decades roaming the snowy wilderness of the Teton Range, Grizzly No. 399 became a beloved mama bear with millions of parkgoers following her yearly adventures and her ever-growing family tree. Nature lovers are mourning the matriarch of the world-famous bear family after she was fatally struck by a vehicle Oct.
22 on a highway in western Wyoming. On Saturday night in the picturesque ski town of Jackson, dozens are expected to brave frigid weather to attend a candlelight vigil, and hundreds more will watch online. Wildlife photographers, biologists and community members will come together to share fond memories of the 28-year-old grizzly known for frequenting tourist-heavy spots and roadsides in .
A PBS documentary crowned her “Queen of the Tetons” and an Instagram account dedicated to her has amassed more than 60,000 followers. “She was a living legend, and she became this ambassador for her species and a kind of rallying symbol for people working to conserve American public lands,” said Jack Bayles, a wildlife tour guide who is organizing the ceremony in Jackson’s town square. Named for the tag affixed by researchers to her ear, No.
399 was the oldest-known reproducing female grizzly in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. She has been credited for helping the region’s grizzly population rebound from just over 100 in the 1970s to around 1,000 today. She had 18 known cubs in eight litters over the years, and some have been spotted with cubs o.