Inspired to protect wild creatures
When we lose a beloved acquaintance to an accident, humans tend to search for some sense of meaning or legacy.
Millions of visitors glimpsed or photographed iconic Grizzly 399 and her brood. In her 28 years, she birthed 18 cubs, some that survived tough odds and went on to have cubs of their own. Wildlife watchers were thrilled and amazed at the consistent sightings, and even biologists were wowed when 399 pulled off a “cub swap” in 2011 with one of her offspring, Grizzly 610. Perhaps most impressive of all, 399 guided four cubs through the valley to south of Hoback Junction in 2021 and back to Teton park to den. The five bears strolled past Jackson Town Hall one night, perhaps the first time grizzlies had roamed the site in 150 years or more.
Along the way, this extraordinary bear gave humans a rare glimpse into the life of one of the wildest animals on Earth — Ursus arctos horribilis. She gained a following around the world and helped people better appreciate wildness and the need to protect wild places.
Understandably, upon the grizzly’s death seven weeks ago in a collision with a vehicle in Snake River Canyon, people have been saddened, upset and looking for a way to honor the bear.
To us, there’s no better way to celebrate 399’s legacy than by supporting the construction of wildlife crossings in Teton County and around the state. Remarkably, 399 and cubs survived all these years in close proximity to roads, but her death is yet another reminder of the danger highways pose to animals.
If we are to do a better job of coexisting with wildlife, crossings are essential. Each year there are 200 documented collisions between motorists and large mammals in Teton County, and biologists say the actual figure could be up to four times higher, because many go unreported.
Teton County has been planning a crossing over Highway 89 north of Jackson by the National Elk Refuge and needs to raise $1.5 million in philanthropy to secure a federal grant for construction. This is in addition to specific purpose excise tax revenue that voters already have approved. The county has partnered with the nonprofit Wyldlife Fund to accept donations to raise the necessary match.
Newspaper leaders, when planning this special supplement in tribute to 399, decided to pitch in 10% of advertising revenue toward the wildlife crossings project with the Wyldlife Fund: TheWyldlifeFund.org.
Given the size of Grizzly 399’s following and the resources in this community, raising the $1.5 million in memory of the bear should be as easy as plucking huckleberries and snacking on pine nuts. Let’s channel our grief over her death into a lasting legacy of protecting thousands of wild creatures in the decades to come.