Comments on: Grizzly Bear 399’s Four Cubs Are Going Their Own Ways

By: Mike Raspanti

Mike Raspanti — Thu, 19 May 2022 01:13:41 +0000

Just leave the bears alone and chances are they’ll do just fine. But then there’s the jackass factor. Yes, those folks who always find a way to make life difficult for these magnificent creatures. And I don’t mean hunters!

By: Bram

Bram — Tue, 17 May 2022 15:05:44 +0000

In reply to TJ.

No details about the specific situation concerning 399 have been released, so I can’t say for sure. However, there have been reports that 399 was seen with a large adult male around the time she and her cubs split up, which means she has become estrous again (ready to mate).

The presence of the adult male, which 399 would have either chased away or fled from before but tolerated now, very likely scared off the cubs in this case. This would have had the same affect on all four cubs at the same time. An entirely natural and normal process, this is how many bear families split up. Again, this is not officially confirmed, but it’s the most probable scenario.

By: TJ

TJ — Tue, 17 May 2022 14:40:13 +0000

Questions about 399 weaning cubs:
Would 399 have to chase them away, or would the cubs naturally wonder off on their own in a natural maturation process?
Would she have weaned all of them away at nearly the same time, or would she have done this more gradually?