Details emerge after famous mama grizzly killed by car in Wyoming

The driver who struck and killed a celebrated grizzly bear southbound of Grand Teton National Park earlier this week was not speeding and nan bear's decease was an accident, rule enforcement officers said Friday.

The decease of grizzly No. 399 connected Tuesday nighttime successful nan Snake River Canyon southbound of Jackson saddened tourists, wildlife biologists and amateur and master photographers who for years studied and captured images of nan carnivore and her galore cubs and followed her comings and goings connected societal media sites.

"The carnivore stepped correct retired into nan road," Lincoln County Sheriff's Patrol Lt. John Stetzenbach told nan Jackson Hole News & Guide connected Friday. The driver "was incapable to brake successful clip to debar nan bear, and nan collision occurred."

He said nan collision "truly was an accident" and that nan driver was not speeding aliases distracted and was not cited. The Subaru that deed nan carnivore had to beryllium towed from nan scene, Stetzenbach said.

He declined to place nan driver, noting immoderate online comments blamed nan driver for nan bear's death.

 A Grizzly carnivore named "399" walks pinch her 4 cubs on nan main road adjacent Signal Mountain connected June 15, 2020 extracurricular Jackson, Wyoming.  George Frey / Getty Images

At 28 years old, No. 399 was nan oldest known reproducing female grizzly successful nan Yellowstone ecosystem. Each spring, wildlife enthusiasts eagerly awaited her emergence from her den to spot really galore cubs she had birthed complete nan wintertime - past quickly shared nan news online. The carnivore had 18 known cubs successful 8 litters complete nan years, including a litter of 4 successful 2020. She stood astir 7 feet gangly and weighed astir 400 pounds.

Named for nan personality tag attached to her receptor by researchers, nan grizzly was often seen adjacent roads successful Grand Teton, drafting crowds and creating postulation jams.

Wildlife photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen antecedently described nan carnivore arsenic his muse.

"Her intelligence, her behavior, her beauty," Mangelsen told "60 Minutes" successful 2018. "The truth that she's had each these offspring. There's not galore bears that I cognize of that's had 3 sets of triplets."

Grand Teton carnivore biologist Justin Schwabedissen said Thursday that he believes her yearling cub, which was apparently not struck, will past connected its own.

Authorities said 49 grizzly bears died because of conveyance collisions betwixt 2009 and 2023. 

Grizzly bears mostly unrecorded to beryllium astir 25, though immoderate successful nan chaotic person lived for complete 35 years, according to nan Fish & Wildlife Service.

Before 1800, location were an estimated 50,000 grizzly bears surviving passim 18 occidental States, including Wyoming, according to nan Fish and Wildlife Service. By 1975, nan organization successful nan 48 contiguous states was reduced to betwixt 700 to 800. 

After decades of being listed arsenic threatened successful nan little 48 states nether nan U.S.  Endangered Species Act, nan organization has grown to astatine slightest 1,923 grizzly bears successful nan 48 contiguous states.

Aliza Chasan contributed to this report.

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• Grizzly Bear
• Montana