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The remains of grizzly bear 399 return to Grand Teton days after his death

“We received great appreciation for 399 and wanted to honor those feelings through the handling of her remains,” said Hilary Cooley of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

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A week and a half after her unexpected death, Grizzly 399 has returned home.

The ashes of grizzly bear 399 were transferred to the Pilgrim Creek area of ​​Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on Friday morning. Although she roamed much of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, Grand Teton was a special place for Grizzly 399.

“Grizzly bear 399 captivated people around the world and inspired many to learn more about protecting this important species,” Hilary Cooley, grizzly bear recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, said in a news release. “We received great appreciation for 399 and wanted to honor those feelings through the handling of her remains.”

The 28-year-old brown grizzly bear was fatally struck by a vehicle on Tuesday evening, October 23, in the Snake River Canyon, south of Jackson, Wyoming.

Grizzly 399 had a one-year-old cub with her when she was struck. However, since the cub does not have a tracking collar, its whereabouts are unknown. However, there is no evidence that the cub was involved in the accident.

“Given the age of the bear and the time of year, the yearling has a good chance of surviving independently and there are currently no plans to capture him,” a news release said.

Who was Grizzly 399?

Born around 1996, Grizzly 399 was captured in 2001 in Grand Teton National Park for research purposes. In the last 23 years she has given birth to eight litters – a total of 18 known cubs, with the first litter reported in 2004.

In February, Grizzly 399 starred in her own PBS documentary, “Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons.” The 53-minute documentary follows Grizzly 399 as he raises four new cubs. It is available to stream on PBS and Amazon Prime Video.

According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, grizzly 399's death marks the second bear fatality this year caused by a vehicle accident in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Between 2009 and 2023, 49 grizzly bears died in vehicle accidents in the region.

Greta Cross is a national trends reporter for USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at [email protected].

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