Famed Yellowstone Area Bear Grizzly 399 Was Killed in a Vehicle Collision

A grizzly bear that delighted wildlife watchers for nearly two decades near Yellowstone National Park—and even had a thriving online fan club—is dead.

On Wednesday, October 23, officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service announced that Grizzly 399, a 28-year-old sow, had been hit and killed by a car in the Snake River Canyon. According to a release, the collision happened just south of Jackson, Wyoming, on Tuesday night. Officials identified her by her ear tags and a microchip.

Grizzly 399 had a one-year-old cub with her at the time of the fatal strike, the release said. The cub’s location is not known, however.

“Wildlife vehicle collisions and conflict are unfortunate,” read a statement from Angi Bruce, director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. “We are thankful the driver is OK and understand the community is saddened to hear that grizzly bear 399 has died.”

Grizzly 399 rose to prominence in the aughts and teens as one of the most-photographed bears in North America. She lived predominantly within the borders of Grand Teton National Park, and during her life became a sought-after subject for photographers and tourists. According to NBC News, she birthed 18 cubs during her lifetime, and in 2023 became the oldest-known mother in the region, after giving birth to a cub at age 27.

“People from around the world have followed grizzly bear 399 for several decades. At 28 years old, she was the oldest known reproducing female grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,” said Hilary Cooley with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the release.

In a 2018 Outside story, famed wildlife photographer Tom Mangelsen called Grizzly 399 “the most famous bear who ever lived.” Mangelsen first photographed the bear in 2006, according to NBC News.

This past May, PBS dedicated an episode of its Nature series to her, titling the program Grizzly 399: Queen of the Teton. The episode chronicled a period in her life when she was raising four cubs simultaneously.

“The grizzly bear is an iconic species that helps make the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem so extraordinary. Grizzly bear 399 has been perhaps the most prominent ambassador for the species,” said Grand Teton National Park superintendent Chip Jenkins in a release. “She has inspired countless visitors into conservation stewardship around the world and will be missed.”

In its news release, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service noted that 49 grizzly bears have died due to vehicle collisions in the greater Yellowstone National Park ecosystem since 2009. Two bears were struck and killed by vehicles in 2024, prior to Grizzly 399, the release said. But the statistics are unlikely to ease the heartache of those wildlife fans who had come to know and love the bear.

On the Facebook page for Grizzly 399’s fan club, titled Team 399, a commenter named Priscilla Priebe lamented the loss, and recalled seeing the bear and her four cubs.

“This is so personal for many. For me, she was my comic relief during COVID, and her march through Jackson with her quads and police escort,” Priebe wrote. “While we were locked down and fearful, she was doing her thing with her quads with freedom. I purchased a graphic from Thomas Mangelson and have it hung in my sunroom and smile every day when I pass it. Will miss her.”