In the wake of the devastating floods in Yellowstone National Park a couple of weeks ago, my mind has been wandering to all the sights and critters I have witnessed in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem over the years.
Certainly, one of the most memorable was almost one year ago when we got to see this pretty grizzly bear and her cubs of the year. I restrained myself from sharing very many pics of her at the time as she has a bit of a reputation and I didn’t want to draw attention to her.
Felicia, officially known as Grizzly 863, is estimated to be nine years old now and has become a fixture in the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Her propensity to hang out in well-trafficked areas has caused consternation among wildlife officials and they have tried to encourage her to move to more private environs with little success.
There has been a lot of debate over how to handle her as she has never been a truly problem bear – she hasn’t threatened humans or shown any desire to intrude on human settlements. Felicia simply seems to like the area due to its abundant food supply and the fact that being in the proximity of humans helps to dissuade male bears (boars) who might threaten her cubs.
I only saw her this one time and for a brief 20 minutes or so but it was a fantastic experience that I was happy to have.
