"A Grizzly Trilogy:" Three grizzly life histories linked by lineage

1/30/2020

Photo: Grizzly 179 lies immobilized following being captured. Photo courtesy: Mark Gocke

Grizzly 79 was first captured and marked by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team in 1981 at seven-years-old. Grizzly 79 was a so-called ‘frequent flyer’ in the northern section of Yellowstone National Park, well known and recognized by park officials and the local community of Gardiner, MT. Over the next decade, she would remain close and exhibit high fidelity to her home range. She was relocated numerous times, only to find her way back.

Nearly 29-years ago, grizzly 79 found herself in the town of Gardiner, Montana, with her two, yearling cubs (179 & 182). On August 21, 1990, Grizzly 79 and her cubs (179, 182) were trapped for management reasons and relocated. Grizzly 79 was relocated to the remote southeast location of Thorofare, YNP. In contrast, her two yearling cubs (179 & 182) were relocated to Glade Creek, now located in the present-day John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway (JDRMP).

Grizzly 79 was able to navigate Yellowstone and its surrounding communities, without ever being removed. It is remarkable, however, that she was captured 8-times during her life, 7-times for management reasons. Unfortunately, Grizzly 79 was shot and killed by a hunter who claimed self-defense in 1996. Never once in her 22-years in the ecosystem did researchers or community members record an aggressive encounter between her and people. During her nearly two decades in the ecosystem, grizzly 79 was responsible for siring approximately five litters of cubs (grizzly 179 had six litters in her life, and grizzly 182 was known to have one litter).

August 1990 marked the beginning for these two young grizzlies, now on their own for the first time. Grizzly 179 took up residence in the region in and around the eastern extent of Grand Teton National Park, while her sibling grizzly 182, headed north to the area around Heart Lake, YNP. Both siblings were female, and both bears had their first litters of cubs by age 7. Grizzly 179, unlike her sibling, chose to share her life more intimately with biologists and researchers. Since 1990, grizzly 179 was captured over half a dozen times, her sibling 182 only twice. Grizzly bears with such extensive life histories as 79, 179, and 182 have contributed tremendous amounts of data that help us better understand the species, their biology, and the issues they currently face. Our ability to monitor daily, seasonal and annual movements & activities of these bears is undoubtedly a major contributing factor to their overall recovery and conservation success of the present day.

Works Cited

Knight, R.R., B.M. Blanchard, and D.J. Mattson. 1991. Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: annual report of the Interagency Study Team, 1990. National Park Service, Bozeman, Montana.
Knight, R.R., and B.M. Blanchard. 1994. Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: annual report of the Interagency Study Team, 1993. National Park Service, Bozeman, Montana.
Knight, R.R., and B.M. Blanchard. 1995. Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: annual report of the Interagency Study Team, 1994. National Biological Service, Bozeman, Montana
Knight, R. R., and B. M. Blanchard. 1996. Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: annual report of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, 1995. National Biological Service, Bozeman, Montana.
Haroldson, M. A., and M. Ternent. 2000. Bear Monitoring and Population Trend. Pages 3-8 in C. C. Schwartz and M. A. Haroldson, editors. Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: annual report of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, 1999. U.S. Geological Survey, Bozeman, Montana.
Haroldson, M. A., and R. Grogan. 2001. Bear Monitoring and Population Trend. Pages 3-10 in C. C. Schwartz and M. A. Haroldson, editors. Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: annual report of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, 2000. U.S. Geological Survey, Bozeman, MT.
Haroldson, M. A., Dickinson, C., and K. Frey. 2002. Grizzly Bear Capturing, Collaring, and Monitoring. Pages 4-11 in C. C. Schwartz and M. A. Haroldson, editors. Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: annual report of the Interagency Study Team, 2001. U.S. Geological Survey, Bozeman, Montana.
Haroldson, M. A., Dickinson, C., and D.D. Bjornlie. 2008. Bear Monitoring and Population Trend. Pages 4-8 in C. C. Schwartz, M. A. Haroldson, and K. West, editors. Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: annual report of the Interagency Study Team, 2007. U.S. Geological Survey, Bozeman, Montana.
Haroldson, M. A., Dickinson, C., and D.D. Bjornlie. 2013. Bear Monitoring and Population Trend. Pages 5-10 in F.T. van Manen, M.A. Haroldson, and K. West, editors. Yellowstone grizzly bear investigations: annual report of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, 2012. U.S. Geological Survey, Bozeman, Montana, USA.

18 Comments

Author

Tyler Brasington is a native born and raised Pennsylvanian, yet proud current Wisconsin resident. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a B.S. in Environmental Science. Currently, Tyler is pursuing his masters in Natural Resources with the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. He has worked in Yellowstone National Park under the guidance and supervision of Dr. George Clokey and Dr. Jim Halfpenny.

Tyler is a current member of the International Association for Bear Research and Management, The Wildlife Society, and Polar Bears International.

Research and academic work has focused on different aspects of grizzly bear ecology and behavior. Ongoing research: spatial ecology and identification of females with cubs, and integrated approaches to monitoring grizzlies in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Side projects include: selected life histories of park bears, bear viewing etiquette and responses.

Currently Tyler has worked as a Park Ranger with the Bear Management Office in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP). He previously worked as a Biological Science Technician with the US Geological Survey, National Wildlife Health Center and as a Biological Science Technician (Fisheries/AIS) in GTNP, and served as a volunteer, assisting the Bear Management Office in Yellowstone National Park.

Disclaimer: The information and views expressed on this page do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of Interior, US Geological Survey, National Park Service or the United States Government.

The Greater Yellowstone Grizzly Project
www.yellowstonegrizzlyproject.org

© 2021 Tyler Brasington

All rights reserved. No portion of this website may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, or appropriate authors, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

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MAtthew Bird

1/30/2020 11:24:05 pm

Awesome glimpse into the lives of some adaptable, secretive and wild creatures throughout their lives in such an amazing place!
Very cool

Douglas Zeman

1/27/2021 02:50:53 pm

That is incredibly tragic and infuriating, to kill such a majestic creature to stroke your childlike ego.

Lauren Curry

5/2/2021 08:41:03 am

And then to lie about it makes it even worse. I would say it's less his ego and more Sociopath behavior.

Tina

3/29/2022 07:35:09 am

People are such idiots. And that's being polite. Just leave the animals alone.

Karen Paulsen

3/29/2022 05:01:09 pm

When all these beautiful animals are gone and people cannot go and see them on vacation or go to the mountains to see Wild Life they’re going to ask what the hell happened to all the animals in the wild life. They’re going to have to look themselves in the mirror and say it started with me.

Charlie Finn

10/4/2020 10:26:10 pm

Nothing earth shattering to add. Just very sad that 79 was killed and that the hunter got away with it. Was glad that you pointed out that she had never exhibited aggressive behavior in 29 years.
I felt such anger and sadness that the hunter got away with it. I have come to the conclusion that a hunter should be required to prove the bear attacked by turning in the lost appendages. Kidding. Sort of. That lame excuse is used much too often here in Alaska plus people who choose to live in bear territory constantly complain and threaten to 'take care of' any bear who is seen near homes during salmon runs or gets into a non bear deterring chicken pen or unsecured garbage. They periodically push to change hunting laws so they can shoot the bears . Fortunately the State Patrol recognizes that they take no responsibility for making homes etc less bear attractive and says no.

I live at end of road system in Alaska and "It charged me" is the excuse used here much too often. Your 79 brought back memories of a sow - I called her Marathon Mom - who brought her Cubs to 1st Ave which bordered Mt. Marathon where she apparently bedded. The family dined on blue & Alder berries in people's yards. Residents walked their dogs past her and her Cubs daily, some dogs off leash, kids road their bikes, homeowners worked in gardens, etc for years and years. Just like Bear 79 there was not one incident nor did she ever exhibit any signs of aggression. She did wander a few blocks east to 4th and 5th avenue in evenings and sometimes got into unsecured garbage. She paid for that transgression with her life. Some yahoo heard clanking of garbage cans in alley one night, his dog was excited and barking ( bears had gotten into his garbage night before) , so of course he grabbed his gun and went to see, letting his dog run loose, then shot mom in her leg. She was bleeding profusely from from the look of the paved alcove she and her Cubs rushed to hide in. I knew in my heart she would not survive winter with only a few weeks left before hibernation. Sure enough she was never seen again after that night. Mr. Yahoo claimed he took gun with him because he thought it was a person, and shot because sweet nonaggressive Marathon Mom charged him. Yeah, right. He lived on the alley of 5th across from Post Office, 2 blocks from police station. It is illegal to discharge firearm in town. He and his girlfriend were praising their dog for making such a ruckus, and comments were reassuring them that did the right thing or cheering them for their aggressive solution to have UNsecured cans turned over and trash strown about.
At least it was all that was said until I commented. I would like to have a finger from every hunter that falsely claimed self defense to get away with destroying such precious lives. Would make a suitable garland for Halloween.

I won't be offended if you delete or don't approve this comment . I did not set out to be so .. honest 😏 about my feelings on the subject and this is an academic site. If I were a planner I would have looked for an email addy.

Last time a neighborhood tried to have regs changed I called Steve Searles(s) in desperation trying to find a detailed manual on his (or any effective) non-lethal bear management. Surprisingly , NASA has one!

I found your site hunting for the bear family tracking chart I'd read about. Alas , leaving empty handed.

KarenLPaulsen

2/2/2021 07:51:42 am

You wrote an excellent comment! Most wild animals are not aggressive to people as long as people behave like you should around a wild animal. These hunters need to be punished for destroying some of our most precious Wild Life. Because of people many animals are going extinct!

5/2/2021 10:02:59 am

I don’t understand why man has decided they are the most important thing on this earth. I believe that God has put everything we need here so that we could survive. I believe that includes trees oceans animals fish everything. But we keep destroying things systematically and one day our children are going to pay for our transgression

Caroline Jones

6/22/2021 07:05:30 pm

So often I think many human beings are just too stupid, selfish ego-centered idiots. But I also firmly believe
in Karma; what you send out will surely come back to you tenfold. It’s hard to read these stories, it’s just too sad.

Kerstin Engelhardt

10/23/2020 08:12:22 am

I agree. Hunters should be investigated for their actions. I live in British Columbia. Wextey to coexist.
IT WORKS.

sandra sandborn-olson

1/14/2021 07:48:31 am

Just explain to me why........ why were the yearling Cubs taken away from their mother in 1990 when Grizzly 79 was transported way down in the southeast and the Cubs 179 and 182 if I have the numbers right we're taking away up north and they're only yearlings.!! What part of your study does that make sense and there's no mention of why you did that how f****** insensitive are you people. What did you learn from separating them? You assholes.!! Do you think maybe for a number of years 79 was looking for her Cubs? And if you hadn't placed her where you did away from her Cubs you think she would have been shot 6 years later? Maybe that one act with separating them affected their entire rest of their lives. And also encounters with humans who probably aggravated the bear 79. Why do humans have to keep interfering? Some special interest nonprofit something rather that pays your wages but does nothing for the Bears themselves? F*** you people

Tyler Brasington

2/5/2021 10:27:21 am

Hi Sandra,
Please send me an email at your convenience. Seems like there are quite a few details that you might be hung up on that are inaccurate. Please contact me at the email listed below.

Email: [email protected]

Thank you,
Tyler

Mr. William E. Kalt link

1/25/2021 09:29:58 pm

My hat is off to Mrs. Sanda Sandborn-Olson.
It couldn't be state any better.
Reading the story has made me very sad and angry!

I can only say that like the light and the dark, good and the bad, the positive and negative.

When will man, humans learn that we are here as custodians of this World and all that is in it.
To stand up! To be the ture care givers of all life in this World.

All living things including mother Earth are all intangibly linked and always depended on one another.

Going into the new decade humans the World over need tobe held accountable!

As we do not own this world, we share it. ( UNFAIRLY ) Humans need to come together as a whole and realize that we have a very big universe, as are play ground and all life and living things in this World need tobe fearsly protected.
As Humans will need all of them to help us colonize the Universe.
Humans need to STAND UP! and be the custodians of this world as we where meant tobe and care for all things and all life as we all need them more than we know at this time.

Mr. William E. Kalt. 12/ 11 / 1958

Tammy R Loiselle

1/27/2021 05:49:18 pm

Ditto

Sandra M. Spinale

1/27/2021 05:46:25 am

How can we help. Did you read national geographic about the zebra in africa and more stripes mutating and giraffe because of poachers? This is just terruble thst with all of these foundations by celebrities protecting the enviornment this no longer applied to animal welfare. What can we do to help. I have already written the u.n. about this. Let ne know. Thank you and. God bless you all.

1/27/2021 05:48:28 pm

Thank you leave the bears alone already thats so sad

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2/7/2024 01:36:03 am

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GRIZZLY PROJECT

"A Grizzly Trilogy:" Three grizzly life histories linked by lineage

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