Since Wyoming’s most beloved and famous bear, Grizzly 399, was struck and killed by a car last fall, there’s been speculation about her last cub, Spirit.
There were hopes that after his mother’s death last fall, Spirit found a hibernation den, survived the winter, and would emerge again this spring.
So far, there haven’t been any verified sightings of Spirit, and by now nearly every grizzly should have emerged from hibernation.
Even if Spirit is still alive, some bear observers say there might not be any way to distinguish him from any other 2-year-old grizzly in or near Grand Teton National Park.
It would probably take genetic testing to positively identify Sprit, famed wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen, who named the cub, told Cowboy State Daily on Friday.
“I just don’t know about Spirit. Like I said before, without DNA from scat or hair, and God forbid from trapping,” it could be practically impossible to identify that bear, Mangelsen said.
Mangelsen followed 399 and her various cubs for years. His photographs played a huge role in making 399 the world’s most famous grizzly.
Better Odds Of Spotting A Female
The cub’s sex was never officially determined, but Spirit is widely thought to be a male due to its exceptional size as a young cub of the year.
If the common assumption was wrong and Spirit is a female, that could increase the odds of her being seen again, wildlife photographer and 399 fan Isabella Smedley told Cowboy State Daily.
“My personal opinion is that if it’s a female, she’ll come back down (to highly visible areas),” she said. “If it’s a male, then we probably won’t see him for a very long time.”
Many hope that Spirit, the last cub of Grizzly 399, is still alive and will emerge from hibernation this spring. (Courtesy Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven) 
Many hope that Spirit, the last cub of Grizzly 399, is still alive and will emerge from hibernation this spring. (Courtesy Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven)
The Cub That Thrilled The World
Grizzly 399’s worldwide fan base was thrilled when she emerged from hibernation with a new cub in May 2023.
Spirit had white chest markings, commonly called a “tuxedo.” But he eventually outgrew his tuxedo, as grizzly cubs usually do.
Spirit was apparently with 399 when she was struck and killed by a vehicle south of Jackson in October 2024. According to accounts, the cub fled the scene unharmed, and there have been no confirmed sightings of him since.
Grizzly cubs typically don’t separate from their mothers until their third summer, and Sprit had just been through his second summer.
Even so, many hoped that he was mature enough to find a hibernation den on his own.
Spirit Sighting By Jenny Lake?
As Grizzly 399’s primary documentarian, Mangelsen said he’s been getting messages and inquiries about Sprit, including some rumored sightings.
“I have received a number of messages, the last one yesterday, saying ‘a friend saw a young bear having similar markings as Spirit at Jenny Lake,’ and wanted my opinion,” he said.
The message included a photo of the bear in question.
“The photo wasn’t good enough to tell much,” Mangelsen said.
And Jenny Lake, while it’s in Grand Teton, doesn’t seem like a likely hangout for Spirit, he added.
“However, Jenny Lake was rarely visited by 399,” he said. “So, offspring would more likely go to where 399 took them, places like Pilgrim Creek or Willow Flats.”
Rumors Abound
Wildlife photographer Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven follows moose and grizzlies in the Teton area, and said he’s also heard rumors of Sprit sightings.
“There have been some sightings of young lone grizzlies passing through the Pilgrim Creek area, but typically it’s a case of people wanting it to be Spirit rather than having any clue of if it is,” he said.
Wildlife photographer Deby Dixon of Gardiner, Montana, said she and others are still clinging to hope that Spirit is alive, but agreed that without DNA testing, the world might never know.
“If he’s around, we’ll probably see him again, but I don’t think they’ll be able to definitively identity him,” she said.
Mark Heinz can be reached at mark@cowboystatedaily.com.
