Sad news from the US Forest Service: Grizzly bear 399, one of the world's most famous bears, was fatally hit by a vehicle on a highway in Wyoming on Tuesday night. "Grizzly bear 399 had a yearling cub with her, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest the yearling was also involved in the incident, but the Service is monitoring the area," the Forest Service said, per East Idaho News. Authorities said the driver was uninjured. The bear's identity was confirmed through ear tags and a microchip.
PBS dedicated an episode of its Nature series to the bear in May, calling her the "most famous grizzly in the world." The 28-year-old bear lived in Grand Teton National Park, near Yellowstone National Park, where Superintendent Chip Jenkins says she has been "perhaps the most prominent ambassador for the species," NBC News reports. "She has inspired countless visitors into conservation stewardship around the world and will be missed," Jenkins says. The AP reports that 399 was "beloved for decades by countless tourists, biologists, and professional wildlife photographers."
"She was the oldest known reproducing female grizzly in the Yellowstone ecosystem," said Hilary Cooley, grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The AP reports that 399 had at least 18 cubs over the years, including a rare litter of four in 2020. She was known as a "roadside bear" often seen in the Grand Teton area. Scientists believe she chose to stay near roads to avoid male grizzlies, which sometimes kill cubs.
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