With Griz 399’s cubs weaned, it’s up to us now
Young bears will forge out in search of their new territory—Don't let it be your neighborhood!
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. — Authorities in Grand Teton National Park have confirmed previous reports that Grizzly 399 has successfully weaned her four offspring.
This is the normal bear activity for a sow with 2-year-old cubs. The process is sometimes aided by a boar sniffing around as the mother goes back into a mating cycle. For 399 it remains to be seen whether the grand old dame—at age 26—mates yet again, but she’s surprised us before.
Regardless, the presence of a boar will help momma sow send the message to her offspring that it’s time to “go your own way.” The young bears will eventually disperse to establish individual home ranges.
This time period is crucial for the survival of the cubs. Griz 399 has taught her offspring many positive things…and some not so good.
Her penchant for exploring south of the park this past fall and spring into residential neighborhoods of Teton Village, Wilson, and Jackson is not something these cubs should learn to do themselves. It would be a death sentence, likely.
Grand Teton is advising residents of Teton County to expect these newly-weaned bears, as well as other recently weaned individual bears, could travel through their neighborhoods in pursuit of available habitat. The more bearproof a property is the better. The more fruitless food exploration is in residential areas, the better. These bears need to be negatively rewarded for roaming into populated neighborhoods, and positively reinforced when they venture deep into the wilderness.
“Young bears have a higher potential to become emboldened in seeking out foods in and around human development, especially if they have learned to acquire food there in the past,” park officials say. “When this food-conditioned behavior occurs, management options for bear and human safety become limited.”
Interagency and community partners, BearWise Jackson Hole, Teton County, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will continue collective efforts to proactively prevent conflicts between bears and people in Teton County. However, the potential for conflict is high, and they need your help.
Secure attractants of any kind and be bear wise
During the last two years, grizzly bear 399 and her cubs spent a significant amount of time near residential areas and received numerous food rewards. These events serve as a critical reminder that all of Teton County is in occupied grizzly bear habitat. Living and recreating in bear country requires awareness and actions on our part to keep both bears and humans safe.
As the grizzly bear population expands within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, bears continue to disperse across their historical range but also into more populated areas. Unfortunately, more often than not, “a fed bear is a dead bear.”
Properly storing all attractants to ensure a bear does not obtain a food reward is crucial to keeping bears wild and humans safe. BearWise Jackson Hole, Teton County, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would like to thank Teton County residents for their efforts to secure bear attractants this spring.
Grizzly bear 399 and her offspring foraged naturally on private property for nearly two weeks this spring with no conflicts recorded. That’s due, in part, to community efforts and Griz 399’s tolerant nature toward human activity.
What to do if you see a grizzly bear is a personal decision. Authorities advise contacting Game and Fish. You certainly don’t have to.
Documenting encounters on social media has both good and bad potential consequences.
The heads up is probably appreciated by neighbors who can button down their place if they haven’t already. The ‘advertisement’ aspect could draw looky-loos and wildlife paparazzi, which could exacerbate a potential conflict. Use your best judgement.
