In light of the recent death of a grizzly cub that was hit by a vehicle on Togwotee Pass, I wanted to show you what I saw when driving into Yellowstone this morning. For those of you that aren't familiar with these bears, that's the grizzly sow, Raspberry and her cub, Snow, running down the East Entrance Road before sunrise. Luckily they were running on a straightaway and I saw them, but if they were coming around a curve, I could have hit them.
I'm sorry to say that Raspberry and Snow are road bears. Like many grizzly sows, Raspberry has chosen to raise her cub near the road to keep her safe from the dangers of the backcountry. Unfortunately, this choice exposes them both to different threats. Those of you that have driven the East Entrance Road know that it's filled with steep hills, hairpin turns and blind curves. With thousands of cars driving on this road each day, I can't think of a more dangerous place for Raspberry and Snow to be.
Rangers are doing their best to keep Raspberry and Snow away from the road, but old habits die hard. Raspberry has made this roadway her home for many years and is reluctant to change. If you're traveling on Yellowstone's East Entrance Road, please slow down and keep an eye out for Raspberry and Snow. I know none of us want to lose these two special bears, so let's do what we can to make sure that doesn't happen.
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