Famous grizzly bear killed by car ‘walked right into the road’ before collision, Wyoming officials say

The driver who hit 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 Bear No. 399 Tuesday evening in the Snake River Canyon south of Jackson has saddened hikers, wildlife biologists, and amateur and professional photographers who for years have studied, photographed and followed the mother bear and her many cubs. caregiving on social networks. media sites.

“The bear came right out into the road,” Lincoln County Sheriff’s Patrol Lt. John Stetzenbach told the Jackson Hole News & Guide on Friday. The driver “was unable to brake in time to avoid the bear and a collision occurred.”

He said the collision “truly was an accident” and that the driver was not speeding or distracted and was not charged. 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 bear in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Every spring, wildlife enthusiasts eagerly awaited her emergence from her den to see how many young she had given birth to over the winter, then quickly shared the news online. Over the years, the mother bear has had 18 known cubs in eight litters, including a litter of four in 2020. She was about 7 feet tall and weighed about 400 pounds.

Named for the identification tag researchers attached to its ear, the grizzly bear was often seen near roads in Grand Teton, drawing crowds and causing traffic jams.

Wildlife photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen previously described the bear as his muse.

“Her intelligence, her demeanor, her beauty,” Mangelsen said on “60 Minutes” in 2018. “The fact that she had all these offspring. I don’t know many bears who have had three sets of triplets.”

Grand Teton bear biologist Justin Schwabedissen said Thursday he believes her yearling cub, which does not appear to have been hit, will survive on its own.

Authorities said 49 grizzly bears were killed in vehicle collisions between 2009 and 2023.

Grizzly bears typically live about 25 years, although some live more than 35 years in the wild, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service.

Before 1800, there were about 50,000 grizzly bears in 18 western states, including Wyoming, according to the Fish and Wildlife Service. By 1975, the population of the 48 surrounding states had dropped to between 700 and 800 people.

After decades of being listed as endangered in 48 states under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, the grizzly bear population has grown to at least 1,923 in the contiguous 48 states.

Aliza Chasan contributed to this report.