Guardian of the Matriarch: Thomas Mangelsen & the fight to coexist with Wyoming's famous grizzlies

By Syler Peralta-Ramos/Peninsula Press
In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, a decades long dilemma has ensued as visitors and locals learn to coexist with one of the last populations of grizzly bears in the lower 48 states. For some, the recovery of grizzly bears is a positive, while others see them as a nuisance as soon as the bears leave National Park borders. No grizzly bear advocate is as vocal on the issue as Thomas D. Mangelsen, the iconic nature photographer. In the decades following the addition of grizzly bears to the Endangered Species list, Mangelsen watched the species return to his home landscape of Grand Teton National Park. Among the first bears to re-colonize the area was none other than Grizzly 399, the world's most famous bear who became known for raising cubs in close proximity to roads and people. Mangelsen's love of 399 and her descendants as been a defining aspect of his career and has helped inspire millions to look at a once feared species in new light. That said, the history of human-grizzly conflict is not so easily washed away.