Remembering Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons with PBS Nature

Following the news of Grizzly 399's untimely death on October 22, 2024, the team behind Grizzly 399: Queen of the Tetons reconvenes to mourn her loss and celebrate her legacy. Panelists include Grizzly 399's most dedicated photographer, Thomas Mangelsen, producer Elizabeth Leiter, research biologist Trevor Bloom and former Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Dr. Chris Servheen, with Nature's executive producer Fred Kaufman as moderator. Leave your questions and messages for the panelists in the comments, and thank you for supporting PBS Nature and Grizzly 399.

[jasperman]

Tom Mangelsen, a hero and champion for conservation and the just cause for Grizzly Bears in The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem . Thank you, Tom, for your dedication to wildlife and heartfelt love of 399. 😊

[janiceguy]

Please keep us up on any news on Spirit!❤

[Tipton_Wildlife]

Thank you for sharing your memories of her. I deeply loved 399 and will cherish her memory. Please see to it that her body is handled with respect and does not end up mounted in a museum or visitor center.

[sandyr]

Thank you to everyone for participating in honoring 399 in such a beautiful way. Humans need to remember and appreciate that we are the guests in their wild homes, and give the wild animals the respect they deserve so we can all live peaceful together.

[Nancy-nku]

Oh my gosh Tom, I love you so much. I love the love you have and share w us for mama 399. I cried when I heard your stories, they mean so much to me. Thank you from the bottom of my broken heart. ❤

[bessiemann]

Thank you for having a memorial for 399. She was loved by so many She will be missed

[ToddGrivetti]

My heart still aches since I heard of 399's death. Thank you for presenting tonight. Tom, thank you again for bringing 399 into our hearts, lives and minds for so many years.

[ericaburgan]

Thank you for doing this and airing it so quickly! Tom, thank you for advocating for grizzlies and especially the beautiful 399!

[loriquick]

I could listen to Tom all day long tell stories of 399.

[goldenheart]

Still breaks my heart. Sending strength to Spirit.

[ParrisCausey]

Tom you are the most amazing person I have ever seen and I am so sorry for your lose and I hope with all my heart that you keep doing your amazing work you made me fall in love with bears and the way they live their lives

[carolbaldwin]

Tom Mangelsen! I fully agree with you about cremation. Her cremains can be spread in her favorite places. This along with a monument to her so that people can contribute to Fish and Wildlife an maintain her 'Essence' in her favorite places. Thank you!

[overhillndalewithjo]

Thank you Tom for introducing the world to 399 . . .

[alliegreen]

Oh I hope she is given back to the land that she loved so much! She deserves that.

[AmyMenius]

Thank you Elizabeth regarding publicly stating your view on PUBLIC LANDS! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Yes Trevor 100% it is a people problem

[VABrowneMDPhD]

Thank you for this very respectful way of celebrating and remembering the life of a magnificent animal who taught us all something profound about what it means to be a wild animal in North America in the 21st-century. I hope that everyone watching this thoughtfully produced episode will reflect on our own lives and what we can do individually and collectively to protect wild places and wildlife. Life is sacred, not just human life!

[qchrmyr]

I hope 610 lives a long life like her and keeps her legacy going.

[marytroche]

Thank you for having this memorial. The Queen will be missed, may her spirit live on in the wilderness where she roamed. 😢

[olliedean]

399 will be forever remembered as a great mother to many of her offspring and one who we learned so much from. Especially her patience with her offspring.

[isabelgerhardt]

Thank you for having this memorial. She touched so many hearts!! She was so special!!