An aged grizzly bear, known for being an excellent mother who delighted tourists by exhibiting her cubs near the road, has recently welcomed her 17th offspring. Despite being 24 years old, the wild bear residing in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park is still producing cubs.
A grizzly bear, known for being an exceptional mother who became famous for displaying her cubs to tourists by the roadside, has given birth to her 17th cub despite her advanced age.
Although grizzlies in the wild typically live up to 26 years, this super mother has defied the odds and given birth to a litter of four cubs.
“We were uncertain if she would give birth again at her advanced age, let alone to 4 cubs, which is highly uncommon.”
“We were amazed when we received the news of her 4 cubs, as if she was proving us wrong.”
Kate, a photographer at the park, has developed a great fondness for bears.
“She frequently feeds in meadows close to the road, giving visitors an amazing chance to observe the life of a wild bear.”
However, despite 399’s affinity for areas close to humans, Kate emphasizes that she is still a wild bear and should not be approached, especially with her cubs.
“Female bears in national parks will frequently raise their cubs near the roadside as it is believed they use people for protection from dangers such as male grizzlies who threaten the cubs,” said the author.
Kate and Adam, who are originally from Minnesota, reside full-time in their van so they can be close to the wildlife and the park they love.
Grizzly 399 made her first appearance in 2011 when she and her then five-year-old daughter both started to raise cubs in the same area.
This is believed to be the first instance of this kind of behavior, as the daughter adopted one of 399’s cubs and successfully raised it herself.
Rewriter Source: https://pawmypets.com/grizzly-bear-super-mother/