Grizzlies of the Yellowstone Ecosystem
A completely different story then planned
This is a completely different story then I had planned on. During last week’s RMNPhotographer’s Yellowstone/Teton adventure, I had hoped to see, for the third time, the famous grizzly mother bear 399, this time with her yearling cub, Spirit. She had made history a year before emerging from her den for her twenty-eighth year with her eighteenth cub.
We had been encouraged while photographing several grizzly bears in Yellowstone including Beryl with her two yearling cubs and Obsidian with her three yearlings. During the week, I had reports from friends that 399 and Spirit had been in Grand Teton National Park’s Pilgrim Creek area. She’d fed and posed for visitors on different days, leaving observers thrilled with the experience. I wanted that too.
On Sunday, May 19th, events began to change expectations.
In my former life as a school superintendent, I had met many “mama bears.” I had great respect as they supported their child’s needs, sometimes defending their questionable behavior. At times, “mama bears” could be fierce. While my respect was strong, I have to admit that there was a time or two in meetings when “mama bears” were on the attack, an appreciation for bear spray crossed my mind. Such was the case this past week in the Tetons.
First, Shayne Patrick Burke, 35, of Massachusetts was hiking on Signal Mountain when he frightened a young grizzly bear. When that bear ran down the hill away from him, the mother grizzly bear was alerted charging up the hill to protect her cub.
Shayne was attacked and repeatedly bitten in the back by the protective mother. He managed to get his bear spray out, but the attack was vicious. He covered his neck, the bear spray in his hand, trying to protect himself when she went for the kill bite. As the mother grizzly tried to bite the back of Shayne’s neck, she bit into the can of bear spray. The explosion of spray sent the bear running, saving Shayne’s life.
As reported on May 24th in the Cowboy State Daily, Shayne advocated for the grizzly bear protecting her cub. ““The second thing I said to the park rangers was, ‘Please don’t kill the bear,’” he wrote. “She was defending her cub.” Burke supported the decision by the National Park Service not to euthanize the bear.
Bruno is the dominant male grizzly in the Tetons
Second, while 399 had recently been seen, it appeared she had left the area. Why? Well…Bruno had come into Pilgrim Creek and Willow Flats. Bruno is the dominant male grizzly in the Tetons. He is believed to be the father of several of 399’s cubs including the quads born in 2020.
One reason 399 is so famous is her habit of bringing her cubs around the roads where people are often present. This is likely a protective strategy because males, like Bruno, avoid the crowds of people. Keeping her cub away from Bruno may be saving his life.
Male grizzly bears have been known to kill COYs (Cubs of the Year) and yearlings as a reproductive strategy. Females who lose cubs quickly re-enter oestrus. This behavior, known as infanticide, is the killing of dependent offspring so females will be able to mate again. It is likely a component of male grizzly reproductive success. (Nature Conservation 25: 55-75. February 23, 2018).
So with Bruno around, 399 appeared to have left the area to protect her cubs.
While I didn’t see 399, I heard these stories of mama bears being fierce protectors of their young. Like the “mama bear” of my professional experience, one had attacked, protecting her young. The other, 399, had left the area where danger might be present.
Like Shayne, you have to appreciate the mothering instincts of protection and flight. Each of these mama bear’s yearlings may grow to be the next 399 or Bruno. Spirit may be the next famous bear of the Yellowstone Ecosystem.
And if I am lucky enough to photograph grizzly bears again, I will be extremely cautious, remembering the protective nature of the mother bear. I know well that in this scary and sometimes dangerous world of nature, “mama bears” are incredibly protective of their young.
