World Famous Grizzly 399 Dead After Hit By Vehicle

Grizzly 399, the most famous bear in the world, died Tuesday night after being hit by a vehicle on Highway 26/89 in the Snake River Canyon .

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced that Grizzly Bear 399 was fatally struck by a car south of Jackson. The bear’s identity was confirmed through ear tags and a microchip.

Grizzly 399 was an estimated 28 years old, a truly advanced age for grizzlies, which almost never live to 30 in the wild.

She also was likely the most documented and known bear in the world because of her advanced age and high public profile in the Grand Teton wilderness. Many photographers would travel from around the world to photograph her and her cubs over the years.

She shocked the world in spring 2023 when at age 26 emerged from hibernation with a new cub, who was named Spirit by the public.

The whereabouts of Spirit are unknown at this time and Fish and Wildlife reports that there is no evidence to suggest the yearling was also involved in the incident, although Fish and Wildlife is still monitoring the area and is working with state and local agencies to gather more information on the accident.

“People from around the world have followed grizzly bear 399 for several decades,” said Hilary Cooley, Grizzly Bear recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in a statement. “Wildlife vehicle collisions and conflict are unfortunate. We are thankful the driver is okay and understand the community is saddened to hear that grizzly bear 399 has died.”

Chip Jenkins, Grand Teton National Park superintendent, said 399 was an incredible ambassador for her species.

“The grizzly bear is an iconic species that helps make the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem so extraordinary,” he said in the press release. “Grizzly bear 399 has been perhaps the most prominent ambassador for the species. She has inspired countless visitors into conservation stewardship around the world and will be missed.”

This isn’t the first time 399’s family has been hit by a vehicle.

Grizzly 610, an offspring of 399, gave Teton grizzly fans a scare in October 2023 when she was apparently struck by a semitruck and languished in pain by the roadside for hours while her cubs watched from a distance. She later appeared to fully recover on her own and rejoined her cubs.

From 2009-2023, there have been 49 grizzly bear mortalities due to vehicle collisions in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). The average number of grizzly bear mortalities in the GYE due to vehicle collisions is 3.3 bears per year.

This year, including 399, there have been two grizzly bear mortalities from vehicle strikes in the GYE.