After coming out of hibernation, 399, a well-known grizzly bear, was photographed with her cubs. 399, a 24 year old grizzly bear residing in Grand Teton National Park, is one of the oldest known grizzly bears in the wild.
Renowned not only for her age, this bear has become famous due to being one of the most visible grizzlies in the Yellowstone region, often raising her cubs near a popular road in full view of photographers.
The old bear was photographed recently by nature photographer Thomas D. Mangelsen.
The mama bear can be seen with her recently-born cubs. Grizzly bear sows in the wild usually don’t live past 26 years, so having a fresh litter at 24 years old is quite remarkable.
After snapping the first photo, Mangelsen reportedly texted four words to Dr Jane Goodall, the famed British primatologist: “Miraculously, she still lives!”
The fact that this old bear continues to live and produce offspring has made her a poster child for the recovery of bears in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.
Source: https://roaring.earth
