Posted on 08/24/2023 1:23:11 PM PDT by SJackson
Wyoming’s most famous wild critters, Grizzly 399 and her "absolutely gigantic" cub Spirit, which has had a growth spurt, appeared this week for the first time in about a month, gorging on abundant forage in Teton National Park.
Wyoming’s beloved Grizzly 399, her cub of the year, Spirit enjoyed bountiful forage in Teton National Park when they recently made their first public appearance in about a month.
Wyoming’s beloved Grizzly 399, her cub of the year, Spirit enjoyed bountiful forage in Teton National Park when they recently made their first public appearance in about a month. (Courtesy Roam Wild Photo Tours) Wyoming’s most famous wild critters, Grizzly 399 and her cub Spirit, are back — and the cub has grown to a “gigantic” size for its age, a photography tour guide said.
After staying out of the public eye for about a month, the pair reappeared this week. They have been gorging on abundant forage in Teton National Park, Tristen Moffett of Jackson told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday. She runs Roam Wild Photo Tours in Teton and Yellowstone parks.
“They look fantastic,” Moffett said. “They popped up for the first time in about month and they look great. Her cub is the biggest COY (cub of the year) that I’ve ever seen. He – at least I think it’s a he – is absolutely gigantic.”
Old Mama, Big Baby
At age 27, 399 is old for a grizzly, as few of her species make it into their 30s. So, there was some concern this spring as her worldwide fanbase wondered whether she would emerge from hibernation, or if she’d died over the winter.
She laid those worries to rest May 16, when emerged alive and well, and with a new cub in tow.
That made her the oldest grizzly momma on record.
There was some speculation that she’d mated with a king-sized Teton grizzly called Bruno the previous fall. That could account for her cub’s exceptional size.
The only bears to be assigned official numbers, like 399, are those that are captured for study by wildlife biologists. Others, such as her new cub, are left to be named — or not — by the public.
There was much debate over what to call the cub. Some popular possibilities included Rowdy and Miracle. But eventually, Spirit won out.
Jackson locals tend to not use the bears’ popular names. So at least locally, the pair is known as “Grizzly 399 and cub,” Moffett said.
Lots Of Berries Too
Among visitors and others, the cub is called Spirit, wildlife photographer Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven told Cowboy State Daily.
“They’re doing great. Now that the berries have ripened, 399 and Spirit have been seen daily in the national park area of Willow Fats to Oxbow Bend, eating berries. Spirit looks great and has grown considerably,” he said.
“A little surprising is that Grizzly 610 (399’s daughter from a previous litter) and her three yearling cubs have also been enjoying berries in the same area,” Vangoidtsenhoven added.
Grizzlies throughout Teton and Yellowstone parks seem to appreciate the wild berries, Moffett said.
“I’ve noticed in the past few days, we’re definitely having an early crop of berries, both in Yellowstone and the Tetons,” she said. “The bears are going in hard on the berries already. Usually, the bears do that toward the very end of august, but we started noticing that about a week ago.”
Rainy Summer, Big Benefits Nutrient-rich grasses have also been on the menu, Moffett said. She shared a video and photo she’d taken this week of 399 and her cub, looking contented in a field of grass practically up to their chins.
This spring and summer has seen an unusual amount of rain, and that’s led to a bumper crop of forage that’s benefited wildlife, as well as big game species.
Interesting article.
Incredible creatures.
I ran across one huge bear in the Tetons, much bigger than the ones back east.
Fortunately it was busy eating; it only glanced at me and went back to dinner. Glad I wasn’t on the menu that afternoon.
27? She probably didn’t want to get knocked up.
Name the cub BooBoo Bear...
What sort of berries are they chowing down on?
New tennis shoes and a slow buddy
Ahh yes, those cute grizzlies, they do nothing but have babies and eat berries. Why, they would not harm a fly for the sake of eating any meat.
WRONG!
They are fierce meat eaters. They will catch some animal, including a human, and literally eat them alive. Or wound them to the point of incapacitation, then partially bury for a later snack. A few years back there was a youtube video where one was holding down a baby moose, eating it alive while the little guy bellared for help, help that never came, and if it did would not have saved it.
They are very hard on a rancher’s livestock. People in a campgrounds are warned to keep their distance. Some campgrounds in Wyoming require hard shell camping unit only.
This article is seriously misleading. They are not big lovable berry eaters.
I love that one!
This one, too:
“...pic-a-nic basket...”
Heard that first at about age five. It STILL cracks me up, LOL! :)
I hope no one shoots either of them. It would be worse than losing Harambe!
That said, it’s a little dangerous to anthropomorphize wild critters, though it looks like people in the area are respecting them. :)
I think I’m right about the date - 399 had quadruplets in 2020. We were in Yellowstone in May of 2021 and saw them. Later on same that day, a small crowd was gathered on the side of the road - ranger was present IIRC, and Bruno, who is believed to be the father of many of 399’s cubs, was there.
My husband got some good video zoomed in from a distance, standing on the back of a flatbed truck.
I hope it’s okay if I post a link?
Seeing the story brought the video to mind so I uploaded it to Rumble.
https://rumble.com/v3bdk2i-bruno-the-grizzly-may-9-2021.html
If it’s a boy...Rudy. cause he’s gonna be a rude fellow.
If it’s a girl....Big Beartha...
Or maybe Big Mike? Works either way...
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