Grizzly #399's death was preventable – here's what went wrong

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It's been a tough year for Bears fans. We mourned the loss of long-time legend 480 Otis, endured a particularly brutal Fat Bear week, and now our flag is at half-mast once again after a car fatally struck Grizzly #399 on October 23rd.

Described as “one of the most recognizable bears in the world,” the 28-year-old grizzly bear amassed dedicated Instagram fan pages, merch lines and hordes of followers who camped in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks just to catch a glimpse of her and her boys. She was an icon in her own right: Last year, she became the oldest known grizzly to breed in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. However, No. 399 was prone to conflict, often venturing into Jackson and causing trouble there. Even though she and her boys once broke into a chicken coop and she and her boys also once ate bags of molasses-infused grain left outside someone's house, people still loved them.

When grizzly bears become habituated to human food or become too reliant on humans, land managers often choose to euthanize them. However, No. 399's fame helped her get away with such problematic behavior. Because of her large following, park officials did everything they could to keep her alive and safe. In 2021, land managers hired a group of bear biologists, including Wes Larson, now host of the Tooth and Claw podcast, to defuse the conflict with 399. They would monitor her behavior, and when she snuck toward Jackson, they would sometimes scold her for staying near the park, where she already had plenty of food.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there were an average of 3.3 vehicle-related grizzly bear deaths per year in the GYE between 2009 and 2023. No. 399's death was the second so far in 2024. Although officials say her death was a complete accident, there were some issues that led to this fatality.

Street habituation

Larson says he was sad to hear the news of her death, but he was “not surprised at all.” He says No. 399 is very used to roads and is not afraid of stepping on asphalt. Sometimes, when bears are not used to the feel of asphalt or road noise, they sprint across the road to return to the forest, their safe space. But 399 was different. She was familiar with cars and often caused traffic jams by lingering on the roads near Yellowstone.

Wouldn't a bear accustomed to roads understand the cues of a fast oncoming car and stay away? Yes, says Larson, but 399's particular experience with automobiles was different than that of many bears. Cars followed her to keep her away from Jackson or approached her without hitting her, so she may have had a hard time understanding cars as a danger.

Dark canyons

Larson says motorists in bear territory should always obey the speed limit or less and turn on their lights at night. Sure, you may reach your destination a little later than usual, but your chances of encountering a bear will decrease significantly if you follow these precautions. The advantage: You don't have your car totaled and you don't have to live with the guilt of having injured or killed an animal. (The car that hit #399 was totaled and had to be towed.)

The Snake River Canyon, a gorge 40 miles south of Grand Teton where No. 399 died, is particularly dark at night.

“I’ve driven this canyon many times,” Larson says. “It’s a scary gorge at night.”

In the fatal accident, vehicle number 399 hit the road, the driver was unable to brake in time and crashed into the bear, killing her almost immediately. Despite being subjected to a barrage of hate and threats online, the driver was following the speed limit and was not under the influence of alcohol – it was simply an unfortunate incident.

“It could have happened to anyone,” Larson said. “It could have happened to her biggest fan.”

Roadkill presence

It is not human food itself that poses a threat to wildlife. It is the fact that these animals put themselves in risky situations to obtain food – leaving the safety of the wild for a man-made environment – that ultimately becomes a killer.

A leading cause of premature death in wildlife, Larson said, is traffic fatalities. A convenient meal keeps animals on the side of the road, where they can also become victims themselves.

Larson says the safety of roadside attractants needs to be improved. Bears do not typically die peacefully—whether from conflicts with other bears, vehicle accidents, or wildlife conservation efforts; relatively few die of old age—but rapid removal of roadkill animals could help save their lives. Although we do not know why #399 was on the side of the road at the time of her death, we do know that she had recently eaten a moose carcass nearby.

Now No. 399 will rest in her home forever. On November 1, USFS and Grand Teton officials scattered her ashes in the Pilgrim Creek area, where she had lived most of her life. However, with her death comes hope. Larson’s wish is for her legacy to continue by “getting more people interested in grizzlies, (…) and more conservation.”

Want more from Larson? Listen to his podcast, Tooth and Claw, where he breaks down some of the wildest animal attack stories and how listeners should avoid them.