Sad Ending: Goodbye to Another Famous National Park Grizzly Bear

Not dying instantly makes the outcome seem even worse. But given his size, not surprising.

There was likely some suffering as the animal struggled to survive. The impact was just too much to overcome.

Law enforcement officials from northwestern Wyoming/s Grand Teton National Park, not far from Montana and Idaho borders, report that on Tuesday, May 6, rangers found a deceased grizzly bear along Highway 26 within the park east of the Buffalo Fork River. Law enforcement and wildlife rangers then initiated an investigation in coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The investigation indicated the bear was hit by a vehicle and made it to a patch of trees about 125 yards from the road, where it succumbed to its injuries. Indications are the bear may have been deceased for several days.

Using ear tags and a Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tag, wildlife rangers identified the bear as GB1058, a 5-year-old male. The bear appeared to be in good condition for his age and the time of year.

Its remains were put back onto the landscape in Grand Teton National Park.

GB1058 was one of four offspring that emerged with GB399 in May 2020. GB1058 had occasionally been observed in the park since he was weened in 2022, but no confirmed sightings of him this spring had been reported.

Bears, elk, deer, moose, foxes and other wildlife are often near park roadways, difficult to see, and can cross the road unexpectedly.

As always, drivers are reminded to:

• Obey the posted speed limit and maintain a safe following distance from other vehicles.
• Use caution and slow down, especially at dawn, dusk and at night when visibility is reduced.
• Pay attention to your surroundings. Speeding is not the only cause of wildlife collisions; park wildlife are often hit because drivers are distracted.