Grizzly bear 399’s offspring are now independent | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (2024)

FAQs

Did grizzly 399 have cubs in 2024? ›

On Sunday, April 21, 2024, 399 was spotted having emerged from hibernation for her twenty-eighth year with her yearling cub, Spirit, by her side. Grizzly bears have long been gone from Colorado, the last one killed in 1979, so to see one in Wyoming is a special experience.

The sows may have abandoned their lone cubs as a result of disturbances, but in these situations abandonment may have a selective advantage. The mother could increase her expected number of recruits to the population by simply, and without provocation, rejecting the lone surviving cub.

The female will care for her young inside the den until spring, when they finally step out into the world. The mother cares for her young for at least two more years, feeding and protecting them. When the cubs are two and a half years old, they typically separate from their mother.

Reaching up to 800 pounds and 8 feet tall when standing, grizzly bears boast tremendous size and physical strength and have almost no natural enemies. Or just one — humans.

Of 399's 18 cubs, 10 have died, all but two from human-related causes. Five of her offspring were euthanized by wildlife agencies because the grizzlies were getting into human foods or other human conflicts. Two were struck by vehicles.

The film features an interview with a man who many years ago stumbled upon Grizzly 399 and her three cubs feeding on an elk carcass. He suffered some bite wounds from 399, including a bite to his buttocks. But Grizzly 399 hasn't had any reported tangles with humans since then.

Bears differ from humans in their reactions to the death of their young. "We don't have evidence that bears mourn. "We've seen evidence that they do move on pretty quickly," she said.

She recognizes them for several years, possibly indefinitely, allowing them to remain in parts of her territory which she then avoids. She ejects trespassing bears that could compete with her offspring and herself. Female offspring use even larger portions of their mother's territory until they reach maturity.

Males often kill cubs to bring the mother back into estrus so he can mate with her. These are the cubs of the year from the Beryl Springs grizzly, just a few months old. This is the natural way of things in the wild, and there's nothing we can or should do about it. It's a way animals self regulate their populations.

All the Ursinae species (i.e., all bears except the giant panda and the spectacled bear) appear able to crossbreed.

Would a silverback gorilla beat a grizzly bear? ›

The gorilla's biggest advantage is its spry movement, whereas the grizzly's primary advantage is its claws. The grizzly is larger, but the gorilla is stronger. The grizzly is faster, but this will likely not matter as much beyond a possible initial charge.

Grizzly bears are very large and aggressive towards threats so they are seldom the prey of other animals. Cubs can be attacked by other bears or large predators like mountain lions or wolves.

They can reach up to over 10 feet tall when standing on their back legs, 5 feet when on all fours, and can grow up to 1400 pounds; this is roughly 500 lbs heavier than the grizzly bear. The Kodiak bear's typical lifespan is 20-25 years, similar to the grizzly.

Populations. Around 60,000 wild grizzly bears are located throughout North America, 30,000 of which are found in Alaska. and up to 29,000 live in Canada. The Alaskan population of 30,000 individuals is the highest population of any province / state in North America.

Black bears are probably the least dangerous of all bears, and they will inhabit areas fairly close to civilization. Unlike some of their larger kin, black bears will tolerate people to some extent, and they are not often very aggressive.

Did you know Grizzly 399 has given birth to 18 cubs throughout her lifetime? Despite her high number of offspring, not all of them have been able to survive to maturity. Only eight of 399's cubs have reached adulthood.

Cubs are born inside the den in late January or early February and remain with the female for 2 to 3 years. Grizzly bears have one of the slowest reproductive rates among terrestrial mammals. Grizzly bear females cease breeding successfully some time in their mid- to late 20s.

On May 16, 2023, Grizzly 399 emerged from hibernation and appeared in the area of Pilgrim Creek in Grand Teton National Park. She was seen with a single cub.

Grizzly 399 and her single cub of the year wander through Grand Teton National Park after emerging from the forest in May 2023 after winter hibernation.