A lasting legacy
Grizzly 399 taught us to see ourselves in her resilience and strength

by Gwen Lachelt

The news of Grizzly 399’s recent death – arguably the world’s most famous bear – has resulted in an outpouring of heartfelt emotions from people around the globe. Born in 1996, she became an international sensation on social media, and people worldwide came to catch a glimpse of her in Grand Teton National Park. In 2016, she was seared into my consciousness when news broke that her cub, Snowy, had been killed by a speeding driver. Heartbreaking accounts of 399 carrying Snowy’s body from the road and grieving for her loss profoundly altered our understanding of grizzlies, challenging the stereotype of “Ursus arctos horribilis” as nothing more than a violent predator. 

For thousands of years, grizzly bears have provoked powerful and contrasting emotions in people. To many Indigenous tribes, the grizzly is revered as a symbol of protection, strength, wisdom and an essential part of the natural world. In stark contrast, the Roman Empire saw bears as vicious creatures deserving only of extermination. Both perspectives still exist today, but scientific research continues to underscore our interconnectedness with all species and our mutual dependence on a healthy planet for survival. 

 After being extirpated from most of their traditional grass prairie range in the Lower 48, grizzlies were almost wiped out in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming until their protection under the federal Endangered Species Act in the 1970s. Conservation efforts helped bring grizzlies back from the brink, yet this year alone, 399 became the 66th grizzly in the region killed by human activities, either by vehicles, trains or gunfire. Her yearling cub Spirit, named for her (or his) resemblance to Snowy, hasn’t been seen since 399’s death on Oct. 22. Each loss illustrates grizzlies’ increasing risks as they navigate shrinking habitats surrounded and crisscrossed by roads and highways.  

My own commitment to protecting bears and their environments was sparked decades ago, fueled by early childhood memories of being in my mother’s lap in the front seat of our International Scout, engine off, with my dad, brother and sister whispering in awe as we watched massive coastal grizzlies at the dump near Yakutat, Alaska. Over the past 50 years, our knowledge of grizzlies and our approach to their management has evolved. While open dumps in Yellowstone National Park were eliminated in the 1970s, grizzlies and their cubs are often euthanized when they become habituated to human trash outside parks. The science regarding the relative success of recovery efforts is disputed, with agencies and conservation organizations battling in court over whether to delist grizzlies from the ESA. Delisting would place the bears under management by state agencies and could allow the bears to be hunted. Climate change is forcing the bears to seek food sources outside their established territories. Efforts to expand protected areas are met with fierce opposition from development interests. Human trash, habitat loss, delisting, hunting and bad food years could again put bears at risk of dying out 

After losing one of her early cubs, perhaps to male grizzly predation, some wildlife biologists speculate that 399 took to raising her many offspring near roadways and people to avoid males, which sometimes kill cubs to force females into estrus. It sounds barbaric, but no less barbaric than vehicles hurtling over highways at speeds surpassing even the most alert drivers’ ability to avoid wildlife collisions. 

People around the world are mourning the loss of Grizzly 399. Waking up every day and knowing she was out there brought me so much joy. Those just learning about 399 may be surprised that the news of her death has made headlines and that her followers are grieving. How can one mourn the death of a bear when there is so much human tragedy in the world?

Grizzly 399 represented many things to people. She represented resilience – no matter what, you keep going. When you lose a child, you mourn, and you persist. In the end, we see ourselves in Grizzly 399. She embodied strength, courage and a profound capacity for love. Ultimately, we know how vulnerable she was despite all she meant to us. May we honor her memory with a renewed commitment to conservation so that future generations of grizzlies and humans may continue to thrive.

Gwen Lachelt is a former La Plata County commissioner, CEO of Western Leaders Network, founder of Earthworks and co-founder of BearSmart Durango.