Beloved 24-Year-Old Grizzly Bear Exits Hibernation With Four Adorable New Cubs

Jun 05, 2020 by apost team

A mother grizzly bear from Grand Teton National park was sighted leaving hibernation in May with four new adorable grizzly bear cubs. According to researchers, this grizzly bear, dubbed as number 399, has been recorded as the mother to many more than just four cubs. 

One of the most popular bears in America is a new Mom. Grizzly 399 lives in Grand Teton National Park. According to U.S. News, she's 24 years old, which is approaching the life expectancy for a grizzly. Typically, that type of bear only lives to be about 25-30. So it surprised everybody when she emerged from hibernation with four young cubs in tow. Most bears her age aren't still having young. All told, Grizzly 399 has given birth to 17 cubs that researchers at the park know about. Usually, she has just two. However, this year she was doubly blessed.

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Over the years, Grizzly 399 has gotten closer and closer to the edges of the park. In fact, she and her cubs have even been spotted walking on the paved roads around Grand Teton National Park. Of course, it's not their preferred habitat. Hanging out in the tall grass still seems to be their favorite thing to do. Locals are always happy to see this Mama Grizzly and her cubs. They share sightings on social media. One photographer, Tom Mangelsen, has chronicled their life extensively for over a decade. She even appears in a book that he published.

Of course, it's never a good idea to approach a wild animal like a grizzly bear directly. In fact, bears are distinctly dangerous. The regulations at Grand Teton take this into account. They specify that people should stay 100 yards away from all bears. In particular, humans should never try to feed a bear. The one exception is if a bear passes a person's car. But even those close encounters can turn dangerous. It's best to view the beautiful bears like Grizzly 399 from afar.

What do you think about these four new cubs? Let us know your thoughts and pass this on to other animal lovers!