Member of beloved Grand Teton grizzly bear family hit and killed

Mama black bear introduces cubs to North Carolina neighborhood

A mama black bear walked through the backyard of a North Carolina home with several rambunctious cubs in tow. (David Oppenheimer via Storyful)

MOOSE, Wyo. - A 5-year-old bear that was a member of a well-known and beloved grizzly family in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park has died after it was hit by a vehicle.

Wildlife officials confirmed the news of the bear’s death.

Grand Teton grizzly bear dies

What we know:

According to wildlife officials, the park rangers found the body of the male bear, known as Grizzly No. 1058, about 125 yards from Highway 26 near the Buffalo Fork River on Tuesday.

Grizzly No. 1058 had been seen occasionally in the park, but no sightings of him had been reported this spring. After he was hit by the vehicle, he made his way to a patch of willows, where he died.

What we don't know:

It’s unclear when exactly the bear died, but park officials said Tuesday he may have been dead for several days before his body was found.

In addition, park officials have not released any additional details about the crash that killed the bear.

Bear born in 2020

The backstory:

The bear was one of four cubs that emerged in May 2020 with their mother, Grizzly No. 399, who was often called the world's most famous grizzly bear.

Grizzly No. 399, who was beloved for decades by countless tourists, biologists and professional wildlife photographers, was hit and killed by a vehicle in October on a highway south of Jackson, Wyoming. 

RELATED: Veteran survives horrifying bear attack while hiking in popular national park

Park officials used wildlife tags to confirm the relationship between the two bears.

At 28 years old, No. 399 was the oldest known reproducing female grizzly in the Yellowstone ecosystem. Each spring, wildlife enthusiasts eagerly awaited her emergence from her den to see how many cubs she had birthed over the winter — then quickly shared the news online. The bear had 18 known cubs in eight litters over the years, including the litter of four in 2020.

The driver who struck and killed No. 399 was not speeding, and the bear’s death was ruled an accident. Park officials have not released any additional details about the crash that killed No. 1058.