'18 Births' Beloved American Gray Bear... Why It Died Before Its Natural Lifespan

Famous Bear 399 Dies in US National Park
No Driver Negligence Found in Speeding or Inattention Cases

A gray bear known as '399,' who lived inside a U.S. national park and gained great popularity, died in a roadkill accident.

In 2020, gray bear 399 was crossing a road near Grand Teton National Park with four cubs. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

On the 24th (local time), foreign media including The New York Times reported that 399, the world's most well-known bear and the longest-breeding female gray bear in the 'Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem,' was hit by a car and died south of Jackson, Wyoming on the 22nd. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem refers to the area encompassing Grand Teton National Park, where 399 lived, and the adjacent Yellowstone National Park, the largest national park in the United States. At 28 years old this year, 399 lived inside Grand Teton National Park in the northwestern U.S. and had given birth to a total of 18 cubs so far. 399 was popular for often being seen walking along the roadside with her cubs.

Every spring and summer, photographers and tourists flocked to the national park to see 399 and her cubs. The Instagram account introducing 399 has over 57,000 followers, and 399's portrait has adorned book covers and art galleries.

It was reported that on the night of the 22nd, 399 was near the road with one cub when the accident occurred. Fortunately, the cub is presumed to be unharmed, but its whereabouts are still unknown. Officials said that although 399 frequently appeared near the road, she rarely engaged in dangerous behavior toward humans such as rummaging through trash cans or stealing bird feed. However, not fearing the road can be fatal for bears. Dr. Frank van Manen, a gray bear researcher at the U.S. Geological Survey, explained, "On average, three bears die each year in this area due to vehicle collisions, and this year, including 399, two bears have died."

U.S. netizens blamed the driver for 399's death, but investigators report that the driver was neither speeding nor inattentive to the road ahead.

Gray bear 399 and her cubs captured in 2020 within Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

However, Dr. van Manen pointed out that the 'wildlife management policy' poses a greater threat to gray bear survival than car accidents. This year alone, 70 bears have died in the area, mostly shot because they were considered a threat to grazing cattle or humans. Since the U.S. government designated gray bears as an endangered species in 1975 and began protecting them, it is estimated that about 1,000 bears now inhabit the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, spanning Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Although the gray bear population is considered stable, there is ongoing public debate that they should not be removed from the endangered species list as they still face habitat destruction and artificial development.