A world famous grizzly bear at Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park was killed by a vehicle, according to officials on Wednesday.
The female grizzly, known as No. 399, was an extremely popular figure in the park, attracting nature photographers and wildlife fans from across the country. The grizzly was confirmed dead on Wednesday after being struck by a vehicle on Tuesday night in Jackson, Wyoming.
What We Know About the Collision
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) announced that the grizzly bear was fatally struck by a car south of Jackson on Highway 26/89 in the Snake River Canyon, and the bear’s identity was confirmed through ear tags and a microchip.
In addition, according to the agency, the bear had a yearling cub with her, whose whereabouts were unknown as of Wednesday morning.
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“At this time, there is no evidence to suggest the yearling was also involved in the incident, but the Service is monitoring the area,” the news release from the agency added.
While vehicle collisions with wildlife, including grizzly bears, are not uncommon, the FWS is working with state and local agencies to gather more information.
“Wildlife vehicle collisions and conflict are unfortunate. We are thankful the driver is okay and understand the community is saddened to hear that grizzly bear 399 has died,” said Angi Bruce, director of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.
A Grizzly bear named “No. 399” walks with her four cubs along the main highway near Signal Mountain on June 15, 2020, outside Jackson, Wyoming. No. 399 was killed be a vehicle, according to officials… A Grizzly bear named “No. 399” walks with her four cubs along the main highway near Signal Mountain on June 15, 2020, outside Jackson, Wyoming. No. 399 was killed be a vehicle, according to officials on Wednesday.
George Frey/Getty Images
What We Know About Grizzly 399
Grizzly 399 became famous for raising numerous cubs close to the park’s roads, allowing visitors a rare glimpse of a mother bear in her natural habitat. Over the years, she earned a devoted following with her life documented across social media and even celebrated in a book and featured in a PBS nature episode, making her a symbol of the park’s wildlife and the larger conservation efforts in the Rockies.
“The grizzly bear is an iconic species that helps make the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem so extraordinary,” Chip Jenkins, Grand Teton National Park superintendent said in a press release. “Grizzly bear 399 has been perhaps the most prominent ambassador for the species. She has inspired countless visitors into conservation stewardship around the world and will be missed.”
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Grizzly Bear Deaths Due to Collisions
The bear’s death serves as a reminder of the dangers that wildlife faces near human activity. Despite ongoing efforts to protect these animals within national park boundaries, park authorities continue to advocate for safe driving practices to help prevent further tragic losses of wildlife.
In addition, this is not the first time 399’s family has been hit by a vehicle.
Grizzly 610, an offspring of 399, had a scare in October 2023 when the bear was apparently struck by a semitruck and laid injured by the roadside for hours while her cubs watched from a distance. She later appeared to fully recover on her own and rejoined her cubs.
According to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, there have been 49 grizzly bear mortalities due to vehicle collisions in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) from 2009-2023 with an average number of 3.3. grizzly bear deaths per year.
In 2024, including this incident, there have been two grizzly bear deaths from vehicle strikes in the GYE.
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This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A 4-cent drop made Laramie County’s gas price the second cheapest in Wyoming this week.
The nation’s average price of gasoline also fell 1.4 cents over the last week, standing at $2.99 per gallon, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 12 million individual price reports. The national average is down 14.8 cents from a month ago and 6.6 cents from a year ago.
The national average price of diesel has increased 2.5 cents in the last week to stand at $3.663 per gallon.
AAA reports a national average price of $3.03, down 2 cents from last week. Wyoming’s state average fell 1 cent to $2.92, AAA said.
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“The national average once again briefly dipped below the $3 per gallon mark, but the drop will be short-lived,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Gas prices are likely to rebound soon in the Great Lakes states due to ongoing refinery challenges, while a new snag at a California refinery may slow the pace of declines on the West Coast. To top it off, OPEC+ announced another boost to oil production for December over the weekend, though they also signaled a pause in further increases from January through March.
“For now, expect the national average to hover in the low-$3 range, potentially drifting lower once refinery issues are resolved.”
Laramie County’s average price of $2.68 is Wyoming’s second lowest, up two spots from last week. The cheapest fuel in the county on Monday is $2.61 at Sam’s Club, 1948 Dell Range Blvd., followed by $2.63 at Maverik, 140 Gardenia Drive, and Loaf ‘N Jug, 534 Vandehei Ave., according to GasBuddy reports.
(AAA graphic)
Wyoming’s cheapest fuel for the 11th straight week is in Natrona County, which has an average price of $2.56, down 9 cents from last week. Converse County toppled Campbell and Albany counties to offer the state’s third-cheapest average at $2.70.
Also included in GasBuddy’s report:
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OIL MARKET DYNAMICS
Over the last week, oil markets have been a bit more tame, balancing new sanctions on Russian oil exports with OPEC’s weekend decision to again raise oil production for the month of December, keeping oil prices in check. In early trade, WTI crude oil was down 3 cents to $60.95 per barrel, a slight drop from last Monday’s $61.53 per barrel fetch. Brent crude oil was also slightly lower in early trade, down 4 cents to $64.73, down from $65.96 last Monday. “Oil prices have moved nearly sideways in recent days. While there is rising skepticism that the latest sanctions on Russian oil companies remove substantial oil supply from the market, large US oil inventory draws last week kept prices supported,” added Giovanni Staunovo, UBS commodities analyst, in an e-mail. “The OPEC+ decision to pause their supply increases during the seasonal weaker Q1 demand period is also giving moderate support.”
OIL AND REFINED PRODUCT SUPPLIES
The EIA’s Weekly Petroleum Status Report for the week ending October 24, 2025, showed U.S. oil inventories fell by 6.9 million barrels, and are about 6% below the seasonal average for this time of year, while the SPR rose 500,000 barrels to 409.1 million. Gasoline inventories fell by 5.9 million barrels and are about 3% below the five-year seasonal average, while distillate inventories fell by 3.4 million barrels and are about 8% below the five-year seasonal average. Refinery utilization fell 2.0 percentage points to 86.6%, while implied gasoline demand, EIA’s proxy for retail demand, rose 470,000 bpd to 8.924 million barrels per day.
GAS PRICE TRENDS
The most common U.S. gas price encountered by motorists stood at $2.99 per gallon, up 10 cents from last week, followed by $2.89, $2.79, $2.69, and $2.59, rounding out the top five most common prices.
The median U.S. gas price is $2.89 per gallon, up 2 cents from last week and about 10 cents lower than the national average.
The top 10% of stations in the country average $4.41 per gallon, while the bottom 10% average $2.37 per gallon.
The states with the lowest average prices: Oklahoma ($2.48), Texas ($2.48), and Louisiana ($2.53).
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The states with the highest average prices: California ($4.61), Hawaii ($4.43), and Washington ($4.23).
The most common U.S. diesel price stood at $3.69 per gallon, up 10 cents from last week, followed by $3.49, $3.79, $3.59, and $3.39, rounding out the top five most common prices.
The median U.S. diesel price is $3.59 per gallon, up 4 cents from last week and about 7 cents lower than the national average.
Diesel prices at the top 10% of stations in the country average $4.61 per gallon, while the bottom 10% average $3.04 per gallon.
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The states with the lowest average diesel prices: Texas ($3.15), Louisiana ($3.23), and Mississippi ($3.24).
The states with the highest average diesel prices: Hawaii ($5.21), California ($5.10), and Washington ($4.94).
Biggest weekly changes: New Jersey (+14.6¢), Florida (+10.4¢), Oklahoma (+7.7¢), Wyoming (+6.9¢), Nebraska (-6.8¢)
Oil City News publishes letters, cartoons and opinions as a public service. The content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Oil City News or its employees. Letters to the editor can be submitted by following the link at our opinion section.
Dear Casper,
Our legislators are failing us all, and they know it.
This year, the Wyoming legislature voted to burden our public schools with a $686 million funding deficit through property tax cuts without a plan to make up for that loss. They also passed legislation to allow public dollars to be pulled from public institutions and instead used for private education.
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Additionally, despite the overwhelming evidence that Wyoming’s economy is not adequately diversified, lawmakers continue to fail to support economic development that would sustainably attract young families to the state. Boom and bust cycles hit and the global economy continues to move away from some of the industries we have over-relied on to support our state. As a result, young families go, school enrollment declines, and so does the funding that comes with it.
On top of these local leadership failures, the state faces $50 million in royalty losses annually from increased federal subsidies to the coal industry as part of the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
All of these factors converge to dramatically underfund and undermine public education, our children, and our state’s future. Our lawmakers know this, and they are only making it worse. They are intentionally stripping our schools, our families, and our children of the resources that are necessary to ensure individuals can thrive into adulthood and that we have stable, accessible economies across the state.
This week the School Finance Recalibration Committee met in Casper. The committee seems prepared to take the critical step to increase teacher salaries. This is essential and not enough. Despite testimony that strongly reflected the value of school resource officers, school counselors, and food services, the committee is not planning to increase support to any of them. This is despite the judicial finding earlier this year that lawmakers have routinely underfunded our public education system for decades.
Our state Constitution mandates that our public schools are adequately funded to provide a quality and equitable education to all Wyoming students. This is good for children, families, and the state overall. Only the legislature can make the necessary decisions to fulfill this mandate. They aren’t. It’s time to vote them out for those who will.
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Writing in solidarity for a better Wyoming future,
Wyoming’s “Pistol Pete” cowboy mascot riles up the crowd. (AP File Photo/Ted S. Warren)AP
The Wyoming Cowboys face off against San Diego State as underdogs on the road in this Week 10 showdown. Kickoff takes place at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. MDT) on Saturday, November 1 with a live broadcast on CBS Sports Network, and streaming live on demand.
• You can watch San Diego State vs. Wyoming football live for FREE with DirecTV (free trial), or with Fubo (promotional offers). or see more streaming options below.
What TV channel is the Wyoming vs. Colorado State football game on tonight?
When: Kickoff takes place at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET (5 p.m. MDT) on Saturday, November 1.
Where: Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, CA
TV Channel: CBS Sports Network (CBSSN)
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How to watch streaming live on demand: You can watch this game live for FREE with DirecTV (free trial) or by signing up for Fubo (cheapest streaming plans, $30 off your first month). If you already have a cable provider, use your login information to watch this game on cbssports.com.
Wyoming vs. Colorado State spread, latest betting odds
Point spread: WYO: -10.5 | SDSU: +10.5
Over/Under: 42.5
Get promo codes, signup deals and free bets from our Oregon Betting News home page.
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