This sow grizzly was collared and known as bear 264. For many years she lived along a stretch of park road in Yellowstone and was viewed by lots of visitors. A few years ago bear 264 was hit by a car and killed in the park. On a morning in May several years before she died, I came upon bear 264 with her two cubs of that year at Obsidian Creek. The grizzly sow spent several minutes attempting to convince her cubs to cross the small creek. She would stand by the cubs and vocalize, then jump the creek to demonstrate what she wanted and then call to them some more. The cubs whined a lot, but would not cross the stream. After jumping back and forth several times, bear 264 took note of all the people watching and ended the lesson on how to cross a stream. She then led her cubs away from the road and all the spectators. Grizzly bear cubs learn many of the skills they need to survive from their moms during the first two and a half years of life. YOU CAN USE THE SLIDESHOW FEATURE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED.

This sow grizzly and her cubs have been getting some international press. You can see the story at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1294860/Just-grin-bear-Mother-tries-teach-cubs-cross-mountain-stream.html