The Bears of the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center

Grizzly sow #101 lived in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem for 20 years. 101 was the 101st bear to be tagged in the Yellowstone Ecosystem as a six-month-old cub. She raised numerous sets of cubs, teaching them essential lessons needed to survive in the diverse land we know as Yellowstone. That ended in the summer of 2002 when a series of human errors allowed 101 and her two small cubs access to pet food, unsecured garbage and human food just 10 miles from the town of West Yellowstone. Life in captivity has been challenging for both 101 and the staff at the Center. After being in the wild for 20 years it has been difficult for 101 to adjust to the confinement of the habitat enclosure and exposure to a viewing public. Bear 101 andher cubs lived together as a family for the first year. However, as the cubs grew, the Center made arrangements to send the offspring to another facility as additional den space for the two 400-pound yearlings was not available. Currently, 101 is venturing out into the habitat in the mornings when the Center is quiet and the light is low.