A warm December kept some bears in Wyoming out late at night, but the most famous of them all, Grizzly 399 and her oversized cubs, apparently went into hibernation at just the right time.
Veteran Wyoming wildlife photographer Jack Bales told Cowboy State Daily that while some grizzly bears may be in and out of their dens, 399 and her cub, Spirit, have not been seen in weeks. were found, which means they have likely entered their winter dens.
No more bear buffets
Last month, 399 and Spirit went into hibernation at about the usual time, probably not because of warm weather but because of a lack of fresh piles of elk guts left behind by hunters and other food sources.
Their favorite den sites are elk hunting areas, where “only 10 to 12 elk are harvested,” Bayless said. “So, no casualties, not a lot of gut buildup. No real reason to stay awake.”
troubled years
Grizzly Bear 399 is usually found near Grand Teton National Park. Over the years, she developed a habit of taking her cubs close to roads and other crowded areas. Photographers and biologists speculate that she did this because it helped protect the cubs from larger male grizzly bears, who sometimes kill the cubs of other male grizzly bears.
This made her and her children easily accessible to the public, and she built a fan base around the world as photos and videos of 399 and her children went viral on social media.
27. 399 is an old age for a grizzly bear. Few species live into their 30s. So when she slowly emerged from her nest last spring, there was concern that she would die over the winter.
But those concerns were put to rest on May 16, when 399 was finally found and – much to the delight of her fans – had a brand new cub.
Various names were proposed for the new cub before a general consensus was reached for Spirit. Perhaps due to the lack of sibling competition, Spirit grows to an unusually large size during the summer and fall.
Some people worry that 399 may not live long enough to raise Spirit to the age of independence, which is roughly around 2 or 3 years old. However, 399’s teeth still appear to be in good condition. With that in mind, Cody grizzly bear expert Chuck Neal told Cowboy State Daily he believed she would at least survive long enough to see Spirit go off on her own.
stay in her lair
It can be said that going to bed at the appropriate time may be one of the secrets to a healthy and long life.
Veteran Wyoming wildlife photographer Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven told Cowboy State Daily that he hasn’t heard of any recent activity from 399 and Spirit, even though the other grizzly bears haven’t fully settled in for the winter.
“Bears have the potential to enter and exit their dens, especially if the entrance is not covered with snow,” he said. “From what I’ve seen and learned, bears usually enter their dens before a big storm so that snow covers the entrance to the den – usually the north-facing one.
“Bears in warmer areas don’t hibernate as long or sleep as deeply because the outside temperatures and food are fine. In the GYE (Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem), enclosed dens provide security from the cold. “
The possibility of a winter encounter
Once the snow really starts to fall, most grizzly and black bears retreat to their dens. But bear experts tell Cowboy State Daily that bear encounters are still possible at any time of year.
Bears that remain in the public eye and appear on social media posts can draw a lot of attention. But Dan Thompson, a large carnivore specialist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, told Cowboy State Daily that there is no evidence that unusual numbers of grizzly bears are still active this month.
Most bears probably nestle in dens at high altitudes.
“We have a lot of cameras monitoring other species, but we haven’t found anything unusual,” he said. “The high country is very much a ‘winter wonderland’ where most of the bears are sleeping.”
Mark Heinz can be reached Tag @cowboystatedaily.com.
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