They're Alive III

In looking over some older posts, I realized that I have neglected to update my own reports on grizzly sow #399 and her three cubs. As of April 16, 2008, it had been confirmed that all three cubs and their mother survived another winter, a very rough one, in fact, their second together. And, as predicted, a month later, 399 was seen aggressively chasing the cubs away at the same time a boar was noted to be hanging around—right on schedule. By the time we got to Grand Teton National Park, in the latter part of May, the kids were still in frequently seen in mom's territory, but apart from her. Here, half way up Pacific Creek Road, in pouring rain, we found two of them, romping and playing as they had when they were little COY's (cubs-of-the-year) in the spring of 2006. They were definitely no longer in their mother's wake, physically nearly mature, healthy bears able to take on the world by themselves. What a testament to their mother's abilities. Maybe again, in the sping of 2009...let us hope!