We remember Grizzly Bear No. 399 – “Queen of the Tetons”

BILLINGS — A beloved bear and education ambassador known as Grizzly Bear No. 399 died on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, after being hit by a car.

Now, across the northern Rockies, community members are mourning the loss of the she-bear they call the “Queen of the Tetons.”

Facebook page called Grizzly Bear 399 Heritage and morewas dedicated to her life and it was there that many of her fans shared their sadness, including on social media.

Here are some of the comments:

“I am just heartbroken, what a wonderful mother she was!”
“Icon for bears”.
“There will most likely never be another grizzly like her.”

“I thought, no, it can’t be her. I immediately knew it was true,” said Deby Dixon, a professional wildlife photographer.
Dixon has been photographing 399 since 2011 and has essentially built her life around the bear. She says 399 was the first grizzly she ever photographed.

“I loved catching her and telling her story, telling people about her and, by extension, other animals,” Dixon says.

Dixon was devastated when she heard the news Wednesday that one of her favorite animals had died. All the more so because 399 people died on the road she regularly crossed.

“She knew the roads and she knew the vehicles. But this time she just couldn’t get over it. She couldn’t beat the odds,” said Jeff Ewelt, director of ZooMontana in Billings.

From his knowledge of animals, Ewelt believes that one of two things could happen to 399’s body. First, the body can be subjected to autopsy or animal autopsy. This would allow scientists to learn more about 399’s life, including verifying her age and the number of cubs she gave birth to.

Ewelt believes that 399 people raised 22 cubs, including her own children and grandchildren. He also says that she died at the age of 28, which is three years older than most grizzlies.

Ewelt also says that 399’s body may be placed in a museum.

“Because it was so famous, it could have been mounted and displayed in some museum,” he said.

Either way, communities in Montana and Wyoming will miss this loving mother and her impact on animal science.

“We have to work harder on wildlife crossings and things like that,” Dixon said.