A vigil has been held for a world-famous grizzly bear who was killed by a vehicle.
Grizzly No. 399 spent three decades delighting visitors to Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park as she captured the attention of millions with her adventures and ever-growing family tree.
Tourists, wildlife biologists and amateur and professional photographers who for years studied and captured images of the bear and her many cubs and followed her comings and goings on social media sites are now mourning the bear after she was hit and killed by a vehicle on 22 October on a main road.
“The bear stepped right out into the road,” the authorities said at the time. The collision “truly was an accident” and the driver was not speeding or distracted.
Grizzly No. 399 has been credited with helping boost the region’s grizzly population. A male yearling cub thought to have been with her when she was hit has not been seen since, but authorities have said there is nothing to indicate he was also struck in the accident.
The vigil, which was also watched online by about 1,300 people, was held in the picturesque ski town of Jackson on Saturday night.
Wildlife guide Bo Weldon spoke at the vigil, and said the community was going to “pingpong through the stages of grief” but that was what they needed to do “despite the difficulty”.
“We are terrible and crushed by this, but we’re here together,” the guide said as attendees huddled close in the wet, cold rain.
At 28 years old, Grizzly No. 399 was the oldest known reproducing female grizzly in the Yellowstone ecosystem.
Each spring, wildlife enthusiasts eagerly awaited her emergence from her den to see how many cubs she had birthed over the winter – then quickly shared the news online. An Instagram account dedicated to her amassed more than 60,000 followers.
The bear had 18 known cubs in eight litters over the years and stood about 7ft (2.1m) tall and weighed about 400 pounds (180kg).
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Attendees of the vigil observed a moment of silence and listened to a rendition of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong while trying to keep the wind and rain from extinguishing their candles.
“399 will always be part of this special place,” Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins said.
“However, there is still work to do to ensure her descendants and all grizzly bears continue to thrive in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. It’s up to all of us to make sure they do.”
