# @9newsdenver on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DBfIUhoviaT
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/24250506-9newsdenver-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/legacy-do/c2100b3c4a48e648a3f065f69b8286fd82055c28c3bc28f9ec7c1a398587bea5.jpg
- **Posted:** 2024-10-24T00:15:20.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** 9NEWS (@9newsdenver) — https://gondola.cc/9newsdenver

## Caption

A famous grizzly bear beloved for decades by countless tourists, biologists and professional wildlife photographers in Grand Teton National Park is dead after being struck by a vehicle in Wyoming.

At 28 years old, No. 399 was the oldest known reproducing female grizzly in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Each spring, wildlife enthusiasts eagerly awaited her emergence from her den to see how many cubs she had birthed over the winter — then quickly shared the news online.

Named for the identity tag affixed by researchers to her ear, the grizzly amazed watchers by continuing to reproduce into old age. Unlike many grizzly bears, she was often seen near roads in Grand Teton, drawing crowds and traffic jams.

Scientists speculate such behavior kept male grizzlies at a distance so they would not be a threat to her cubs. Some believe male grizzlies kill cubs to bring the mother into heat.

The bear had at least 18 cubs over the years, including a litter of four in 2020. She stood around 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and weighed about 400 pounds (180 kilograms).

News of the bear's death spread quickly on a Facebook page that tracks the sow and other wildlife in Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks. More than 1,000 people posted comments calling the grizzly a “magnificent queen,” an “icon” and an “incredible ambassador for her species.”

They were heartbroken and devastated by her death, calling it a tragic loss.

Read more at the link in our bio.

#grizzly399 #grizzlybear #grandtetonnationalpark

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 7,519
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 238

## Credits

No public credits are recorded here. This does not identify who made the post.

## Tags

grizzly399, grizzlybear, grandtetonnationalpark

---
Copyright (c) Gondola