Grizzly Bear No. 399: Death of a famous Wyoming grizzly bear was an accident, authorities say

Jackson, WY
CNN
—

The driver who struck and killed a famous grizzly bear south of Grand Teton National Park earlier this week was not speeding and the bear’s death was an accident, law enforcement officials said Friday.

The death of Grizzly No. 399 on Tuesday evening in the Snake River Canyon south of Jackson saddened tourists, wildlife biologists and amateur and professional photographers who spent years studying and recording the bear and her many cubs and following her comings and goings on social media . media sites.

“The bear stepped right into the road,” Lincoln County Sheriff’s Patrol Lt. said. John Stetzenbach Friday to the Jackson Hole News & Guide. The driver “could not brake in time to avoid the bear and the collision occurred.”

He said the collision “was truly an accident” and that the driver was not speeding or distracted and was not cited. The Subaru that hit the bear had to be towed from the scene, Stetzenbach said.

He declined to identify the driver, noting that some online comments blamed the driver for the bear’s death.

At age 28, No. 399 was the oldest known reproducing female grizzly in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Every spring, wildlife enthusiasts eagerly awaited her emergence from her den to see how many cubs she had delivered over the winter, quickly sharing the news online. The bear has had 18 cubs in eight litters over the years, including a litter of four in 2020. She was about 7 feet tall and weighed about 300 pounds.

The grizzly, named for the identification tag researchers attached to her ear, was often spotted near roads in Grand Teton, causing crowds and traffic jams.

Grand Teton bear biologist Justin Schwabedissen said Thursday he believes her one-year-old cub, who apparently was not affected, will survive on his own.