Bear 399: Comprehensive Profile of a Notable Bear

Overview and Identification

Bear 399 is an individual brown bear (Ursus arctos) monitored across several seasons in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Researchers and managers use the identifier 399 to track her movements, reproductive history, and interactions with humans and other wildlife. Reliable identification relies on a combination of ear tags, radio or GPS collar serial numbers, distinctive scars, and consistent pelage patterns recorded in photo and video records.

Because individual bears vary in age, size, and behavior, clear identification supports accurate reporting and long-term conservation. This profile summarizes verified documentation about Bear 399, focusing on observable attributes, monitoring history, and management context rather than speculative or anecdotal claims.

Key Identifiers and Markers

Physical and Tagging Details

Wildlife biologists typically describe Bear 399 using a catalog of markers that persist across years. These may include an ear tag number, a radio or GPS collar serial number, and notable pelage or scarring features that photographs can confirm. Consistent use of these identifiers allows different research teams and agencies to reference the same bear in publications and incident reports.

Notable Documented Features

Habitat and Range

Bear 399 has been recorded in core areas of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, including national park and adjacent national forest lands. These regions provide seasonal foods such as grasses, sedges, roots, insects, and ungulate prey, supporting a diverse bear community. Her known movements typically follow elevational gradients, moving to lower elevations in early spring and higher elevations in summer and fall to track food availability.

Home range size for individual brown bears varies with sex, age, and resource distribution. Documented seasonal ranges for monitored females in the area often span several hundred square kilometers, with core use areas identified from GPS collar data. These patterns help managers anticipate where bears are likely to forage, den, or interact with human developments.

Behavior and Ecology

Foraging and Diet

Brown bears are highly adaptable omnivores, and Bear 399’s diet likely reflects local annual variation in food supply. Key resources include early-spring vegetation, emerging roots, summer berries such as serviceberry and chokecherry, and autumn whitebark pine seeds where available. Opportunistic use of insect colonies and occasional predation on newborn ungulates also contribute to nutritional intake.

Understanding foraging patterns is essential for interpreting bear movement and potential conflicts with human land uses. Researchers document dietary shifts through scat analysis and direct observation, linking these data to phenology and climate patterns.

Denning and Seasonal Activity

In higher elevations of the Yellowstone region, female brown bears typically enter dens in late fall and emerge in spring, with timing driven by snowpack and food availability. Den sites are often chosen on steep, north-facing slopes with deep, stable snow. Maternal bears may den with yearling cubs or as solitary individuals during early recovery from summer activity.

Post-den emergence marks a period of increased foraging to offset winter energy loss. Human visitors and local residents are commonly reminded of seasonal risks during spring and fall when bears are actively moving through valleys and lower-elevation habitats.

Monitoring and Research

Data Sources and Methods

Bear 399 is part of multi-agency monitoring efforts that combine field capture, telemetry, and observational reporting. GPS or VHF collars provide location data at regular intervals, which biologists use to assess habitat use, survival, and reproductive outcomes. Systematic field surveys, trail camera grids, and community-based observations supplement technological datasets.

Standardized reporting protocols ensure consistency across land-management jurisdictions. Data validation processes remove duplicates, resolve identification conflicts, and flag anomalous records for further review. This coordinated approach supports reliable population assessments and trend analysis.

Reproductive History Highlights

• Documented as an adult female captured and marked in prior research seasons.
• Previously recorded with dependent offspring in multiple observational years.
• Likely exhibited typical interbirth intervals for brown bears in the region, consistent with long-term demographic studies.

Human Dimensions and Management Context

Interaction Patterns

Documented interactions between Bear 399 and human activities occur within a broader framework of shared landscapes. Conflicts may include livestock depredation, property damage, or food-conditioning near campgrounds and settlements. Wildlife agencies typically prioritize non-lethal deterrents and education measures before considering removal.

Conservation and Coexistence Measures

Conservation strategies for brown bears in the Yellowstone area emphasize habitat protection, secure waste management, and public outreach. Programs that promote bear-aware practices, such as using bear-resistant containers and managing attractants around homes, are central to reducing conflicts. Monitoring data from individually identified bears like 399 inform adaptive management decisions over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are concise, evidence-based answers to common questions about Bear 399 and similar monitored individuals.

• Why is Bear 399 important to track? Individual identification supports precise monitoring of survival, reproduction, and movement, which improves population-level management.
• How are identification errors prevented? Agencies use multiple, independent markers (ear tags, collars, photos, genetic samples) and cross-check records during data integration.
• Can the public view Bear 399’s movements? Real-time public tracking is uncommon for individual bears due to welfare and security concerns; summarized data are typically available in research reports.
• What should people do if they encounter this bear? Follow local wildlife agency guidance, maintain distance, avoid approaching den sites, and report unusual behavior to authorities.
• How does climate affect Bear 399’s food supply? Shifts in snowmelt, berry production, and insect emergence can alter seasonal food availability, influencing bear distribution and conflict risk.

Context and Perspective

Bear 399’s profile contributes to long-term understanding of brown bear ecology in the Yellowstone region. Consistent, verifiable records help distinguish individual behavior from population-level patterns and support evidence-based decisions. By emphasizing documented markers, monitored trends, and management practices, this overview remains useful for researchers, managers, and informed community members over time.

Summary of Key Verified Attributes

References and Further Reading

• Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team. Annual monitoring reports and databases.
• Yellowstone National Park Bear Management Guidelines and Public Outreach Materials.
• Peer-reviewed publications on brown bear demography and resource use in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Tags

bear 399, brown bear monitoring, greater yellowstone ecosystem, individual bear profile, wildlife management