Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons

Crowds await the arrival of Grizzly 399, the most famous bear in Grand Teton National Park. When she arrives, she surprises her fans with an exceptional litter of four cubs.

Known only by her research number, Grizzly 399 has been a fixture in Grand Teton National Park since 2007, becoming the world’s most famous grizzly bear. Now 399 is raising four new cubs in the face of human encroachment, a warming climate and the threat of losing protection under the Endangered Species Act.

As their territory expands into cattle country, local ranchers reassert that grizzlies should be delisted under the Endangered Species Act, which would pave the way for legal hunting of the bears.

On April 16, 2022, Tom Mengelsen and the film crew rush to shoot photos of Grizzly 399 and her cubs as they emerge from hibernation. The director, Elizabeth Leiteris moved by the experience.