08/27/2026
RIP 🌈
A beautiful family that used to live in Grand Teton National Park
399 and her two cubs that were later collared as 962 and 964. Image taken in 2017 and repurposed into a watercolor. Because they are now just a memory.
Just yesterday, I heard about the death of 964, one of these two cubs that was born to 399 in 2017. She was relocated to Yellowstone's NE area and successfully raised two cubs over the past few years. This year, she had two new beautiful cubs that are now going to live the rest of their lives in a zoo, due to their mother's death.
Unfortunately, 964 traveled the area between NE Yellowstone, over the Beartooth and into Red Lodge. A lot of effort was put into keeping her out of trouble, and people worked with ranchers to help with the situation. Unfortunately, it was not enough and she was killed for predation on cattle.
To say I am sad doesn't quite cut it. I'm angry and frustrated. A lot of effort was put into bringing predators back onto the landscape so that they could help keep the prey populations in check. And, they are just fine as long as they stay in Yellowstone, Grand Teton or Glacier national parks. But, the minute they step over those invisible boundaries they are confronted by man. And, the majority of people are unwilling to coexist with wildlife. They are unwilling to do the work to keep their livestock, pets or selves safe and instead expect the government to just kill anything that is inconvenient. And, here I thought we were Montana tough - people who could step out of ourselves and rise to the challenges of living with the wild. But, instead there are a lot of Montana babies depending on the government instead of themselves.
So, this entire family is gone, at the hands of man. Accidentally or on purpose, they no longer exist. I'm beginning to wonder why the biologists and the sociologists don't get together and devise a working plan to help people coexist. To make people want to coexist because they know it is the right thing to do. I'm not going to sit here and say coexistence is easy because it is not. I've had a large grizzly bear at my house more than a few times - luckily, he never got into anything, got into my fence, or got in trouble here. But, I am clear on one point, if he had tried to attack myself or someone else, I would've shot him. I would not shoot an animal for getting a pet that should be cared for by its owner, and not left to run around loose - that is ridiculous to hold a bear or wolf accountable to our pets if they are not being cared for properly. And, it is ridiculous to put cattle on public lands and not expect the wild animals to help themselves. But, as long as the animal is not threatening anyone, I will do what I can to coexist. And, it isn't always easy but it is the right thing to do.
Constantly saying goodbye to wildlife is getting old. RIP 964. Maybe your fate was sealed when you were a cub being raised right next to the road. There has to be a better way.
