A vigil is held for Grizzly No. 399, the beloved Grand Teton bear killed by a vehicle

During her nearly three decades of roaming the snowy wilderness of the Teton Range, Grizzly No. 399 became a beloved mother bear with millions of park visitors following her annual adventures and her ever-growing family tree.

Wildlife lovers are mourning the matriarch of the world-famous bear family after she was fatally struck by a vehicle on a highway in western Wyoming on Oct. 22. Saturday night, dozens of people in the picturesque ski town of Jackson are expected to brave the frigid weather to attend a candlelight vigil, and hundreds more will watch online.

Wildlife photographers, biologists and community members come together to share fond memories of the 28-year-old grizzly known for frequenting tourist spots and roadsides in Grand Teton National Park.

A PBS documentary crowned her “Queen of the Tetons,” and an Instagram account dedicated to her has amassed more than 60,000 followers.

“She was a living legend, and she became this ambassador for her species and kind of a rallying symbol for people who are committed to preserving America’s public lands,” said Jack Bayles, a nature guide organizing the ceremony in Jackson’s town square.

Named after the tag attached to her ear by researchers, No. 399 was the oldest known reproducing female grizzly in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. She is credited with helping restore the region’s grizzly population from just over 100 in the 1970s to about 1,000 today.

She has had eighteen cubs in eight litters over the years, and some have been spotted with their own cubs.

Her ashes were scattered this week in the Pilgrim Creek area of ​​Grand Teton National Park, where she spent much of her life, park officials said.

“399 will always be part of this special place,” Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins said in a statement. “However, there is still work to be done to ensure that her descendants and all grizzly bears continue to thrive in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. It is up to all of us to ensure that this happens.”

Grizzlies are teetering on the endangered species list. They remain federally protected, but some state officials in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho have sought to lift federal protections as their populations have replenished. States want to regain control of grizzly bears and allow limited hunting.

Conservationists argue the species still needs protection because food shortages due to climate change have driven grizzly bears further from their habitat in search of food.

During his tours of the Tetons, Bayles said he often draws attention to parched blueberry bushes affected by rising temperatures, which he said could help explain why No. 399 was about 40 miles south of its habitat in the park when she was working. fatally affected. Grizzlies must eat almost non-stop in the fall to store enough fat for hibernation.

At Saturday’s vigil, the guide said he plans to sing some of the songs he and his wife Gina played while they searched for her and her cubs.

A male yearling cub, known informally as “Rowdy” or “Spirit,” was at No. 399 when she was killed and has not been located in the nearly two weeks since.

“There is no indication that the aircraft was hit during the collision,” said Joe Szuszwalak of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. “Given the age of the bear and the time of year, the yearling has a good chance of surviving on its own, and there are currently no plans to capture it.”

On average, about three grizzly bears are killed each year in vehicle collisions in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem, according to data collected by researchers and released by the park. No. 399 was the second grizzly killed by a vehicle in the region this year.

Law enforcement officials have ruled the bear’s death an accident. The driver was not speeding and was not injured.