Thomas Mangelsen Reflects on Death of Famous Grizzly Bear 399

By Miriam Stein Battles  |  November 2024

Over these 18 years documenting 399, Mangelsen published two books – Grizzly 399: The World’s Most Famous Mother Bear and Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek – about this magnificent bear and what she’s done for grizzly awareness in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Mangelsen is a staunch advocate for wildlife conservation and has championed the protection of grizzlies everywhere.

Through his stunning images of 399, Mangelsen also helped draw needed public attention to wildlife conservation while fueling tourism dollars. His work has also possibly helped keep grizzlies on the endangered species list when hunting and ranching lobby groups worked to get them delisted to be hunted and killed.

We recently interviewed Mangelsen to hear his thoughts on the passing of 399, a bear whose life was indelibly intertwined with his own. You can read that interview with him further down in this story but first some more background on 399.

Queen of the Tetons

She was known as “Grizzly 399” simply because she was the 399th such bear recorded in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. But to many nature photographers and wildlife enthusiasts, this grizzly was a legend and often called “Queen of the Tetons” for her beauty, intelligence and legendary skills as a mother.

399 rose to fame as the matriarch of the ecosystem that encompasses Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and was a common sight in the greater Jackson, WY region. During a long productive life, she and her cubs navigated the juncture between wilderness and people. Her journey of survival has changed the way tens of millions of people around the globe think of grizzlies, conservation and ecosystem management.

After nearly 50 years of no resident grizzlies in Grand Teton National Park, 399 was the first known reproducing female in the Jackson Valley and she literally created a dynasty of grizzly offspring in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, birthing 18 cubs in her 28 years of life. 

399 often spent time near the highways with her cubs creating excellent viewing opportunities for humans. This behavior was learned and instinctual; she learned to keep her cubs away from potential dangerous male bears, who avoid highways and people, and spend most of their time in the back country. Males, as in many species, like cougars, tigers and lions, are responsible for many cub mortalities. Males often kill or chase cubs off in hopes of spreading their own genes.

Her “Spirit” Lives On

399’s legacy makes it clear that millions of people care about the welfare of bears. And people particularly loved 399. She was a charismatic, smart, sentient animal, who once grieved the loss of her own cub, which had been hit by a car. She delicately carried the cub’s body off the road but went back and spent the rest of the day and night desperately looking and calling for it. 

At the time of her death, 399 had a yearling cub, who Mangelsen had nicknamed Spirit. Spirit is thought to have a decent chance of survival but was last seen 70 miles from her natal den, so finding a place to hibernate will be a challenge. The world is hoping to see Spirit next season. 

After much public and emotional debate about what to do with 399’s body, her cremated ashes were spread near Pilgrim Creek, allowing everyone that loved and respected this amazing individual to breathe a sigh of relief and find some peace. 399 would go back to the earth, once again becoming part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Interview with Thomas Mangelsen About 399

Wild Eye: What was your most fond memory or special encounter with 399?

Thomas Mangelsen: Oh, there are so many over those 18 years, but I’d say it was the first time I saw her and her three cubs of the year. I’d heard that a bear with three cubs was sighted near Willow Flats near Pilgrim Creek in Grand Teton National Park, so I went to check it out. I’d visited Alaska to see brown/grizzly bears but grizzlies hadn’t been seen in Jackson Hole for about half a century. As the light was setting, I saw her and her yearlings feasting on a moose carcass on the island shore of the Oxbow Bend. I assumed she’d have wandered away the next day but I went back the following day and there she was and our relationship began.

WE: Do you think she recognized you?

TM: Grizzlies have amazing olfactory senses, a thousand times better than ours. I believe she might have recognized my scent. She crossed the highway near my vehicle more often than random, so I hope it was a sign of trust.

WE: What made you fall in love with 399?

TM: The fact she lived as long as she did was an amazing thing. She was an incredible mother. Watching her mothering her cubs was magical. When she had multiples, she always knew where they were, ushering a straggler off the road if it fell behind and once realizing a small cub was getting washed away by a river and jumped in to save it. When she had only one cub, her playful side emerged and it was delightful to watch her relax and play with her cub.

WE: What did you learn from 399?

TM: She reinforced my view that all animals have emotions and are sentient beings. She was a gentle and loving mother. One of her single cubs was sadly hit and killed by a car and she gently picked up its body and took her into the forest and lay her body next to a fallen spruce tree. As if she didn’t quite make the connection, she spent the rest of the night running up and down the road calling for her cub like a madwoman. She was beside herself with grief.

WE: What was different about 399?

TM: She was smart. She looked both ways before crossing a road. She had personality and when she relaxed with her cubs, her playfulness came out. She was also a calm spirit. One of her offspring, 610, has been known to more frequently bluff charge humans but 399 mostly tolerated human presence.

WE: You’ve been a staunch advocate for the conservation of bears and predators in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, even winning a bear hunting license just to prevent a hunter from taking even a single grizzly out of the population.

TM: In addition to being magnificent animals, as a keystone species, top predators, grizzlies are important to the health of the entire ecosystem they’re a part of. They add to the diversity and control the populations of ungulates (i.e. hooved mammals), keeping the ecosystem healthy. By controlling the populations of elk, deer and moose, grizzlies create a trickle-down effect in protecting the local tree population, creating habitat for other species such as birds and small mammals, that in turn feed the entire food chain. From a human perspective, naturally controlling the ungulate population reduced human-wildlife conflict and car accidents.

WE: Grizzlies have suffered greatly from human-wildlife conflict. How has 399 been impacted through the years?

TM: Grizzlies lived in this region first and humans don’t realize they need to accommodate them and learn to live in harmony. While 399 had a great track record as a mother, approximately nine of her descendants have been killed by cars or authorities after becoming overly bold around humans or predating on cattle. There is a big controversy over bears that leave the parks opportunistically predating on cattle and ranchers have pushed for grizzlies to be delisted from the Endangered Species Act.

WE: You’ve been a staunch advocate for grizzly conservation, sometimes working with authorities and sometimes going up against them. Do you think humans will ever find peace living amongst each other?

TM: I try not to go against their decisions unless for good reasons. And over the years I felt compelled to speak out against their wildlife management. While that would be my hope, I think humans tend to be egocentric and wish to control everything around them. While millions of people loved 399 and are pro-conservation, it’s the conservative lobbies that are a threat to grizzlies in the Wyoming area. There might never be peace between ranchers and grizzlies (wolves, mountain lions and other predators for that matter.) Humans can be selfish and neglect to see the forest for the trees. Keeping grizzlies around is healthy for not only the local ecosystem and various habitats but it brings in an influx of millions of tourism dollars and supports an entire local bear-viewing, money-making industry. They’re worth more alive than they are on a wall.

WE: And your books were a success!  What is your favorite story about Grizzly 399, The World’s Most Famous Mother Bear?

TM: I was on the road photographing 399 when a school bus pulled up to the shoulder, letting kids and teachers off to see her. A child came up to me and said, “Are you Mr. Mangelsen? I thought I’d see you here. I have your book on the bus. Will you sign it?” I was touched that I’d helped inspire a young mind, who will hopefully grow up to continue the goal of grizzly conservation. The teacher said to me, “This is the first time, and probably the only time, these kids will see a grizzly and you can’t imagine how special this is to them.” And there’s the next generation of conservationists.

Read more of Mangelsen’s thoughts on the passing of 399 on his website.

Author Bio

Miriam Stein Battles

Miriam Stein Battles has been a conservation photo editor and visual storyteller for over two decades. She has worked for numerous conservation organizations as well as National Geographic and most recently Ocean Geographic Magazine.