Uncertain Future

This two year-old subadult male grizzly bear isn’t just any grizzly… he is the offspring of famed grizzly #399, from the 2020 brood of four cubs. This image was captured on a snowy day in late May 2022, and may be the last time he was spotted in GTNP. During the summer of 2022, one of the two males from the 2020 brood had to be euthanized after aggressive behavior towards humans. At the time, I had no way of knowing if this was the young bruin that I had seen, or if it was still alive. Unfortunately, in 2025 I would learn that the other male from this brood sadly passed away after an automobile collision. Therefore, the fate of the young grizzly captured in this snowy scene is no longer uncertain. Perhaps unsurprisingly, both he and his brother are no longer roaming Jackson Hole due to human interactions. As human development continues to encroach upon the spaces these wild creatures need to remain wild, the future remains uncertain.