Bronze, mama bear with 4 cubs
Mama Bear - 15" x 25"
Cubs range 15" in height for the tallest one, 13" in width for the widest one.
"Mother Nature welcomes new inhabitants on the planet in a variety of ways. To some she sends out
with a wink and smile to survive on instinct alone. Imagine being a newly hatched salmon fry; half an
inch long and with just enough energy to survive a few weeks. This tiny silver speck in a roaring current
must make its own way to the ocean, learn to feed, avoid being eaten, and grow strong enough to swim
back up the river to lay the eggs for the next generation. All of this, with only the savvy they were born
with. Less than 1% survive.
To others, mother nature gives wise teachers to boost their chances. Grizzly bear cubs are born in the
winter den weighing only a pound and stay with their mothers for only a few summers of schooling to
learning everything from what to eat, where to go, to when and how to interact. Even with the best of
care, this is not a certain outcome. The difficulty of survival is compounded with multiple cubs, as any
parent (either human or ursine) can attest to.
Near Jackson, Wyoming, an exceptional grizzly given the designation of bear 399 by wildlife biologists
has achieved amazing success in raising her cubs and teaching them how to live with the complex
challenges wildlife faces in our time. In the spring of 2020, she emerged from hibernation with an
astounding 4 cubs. During the following years, she was observed and marveled over for her exceptional
prowess as a mother bear, arguably becoming the most famous bear in America.
I love a good story. 399’s story is a story of the power of a great parent, a story of overcoming difficult
odds through wisdom and skill, and a story of hope for the survival wildlife and wild places that remain".
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