Welcome to a new occasional post called ‘Wicked Wednesday’.

As ‘wicked’ can either mean ‘dastardly evil’ or ‘totally awesome dude’, you’ll have to check in to see which one it is.

Today it’s a ‘totally awesome dude’ kinda day.

“A few weeks ago, a nature photographer who lives near Yellowstone national park sent a four-word text message to Dr Jane Goodall, the British primatologist.

“Miraculously, she still lives!”

“The photographer, Thomas Mangelsen, was referring to a grizzly bear known as “399”, probably the most famous wild bruin in the world. At 24, not only is she one of the oldest grizzlies living outside a zoo, she has also continued having cubs to a venerable age, becoming a poster child for the recovery of bears in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem.”

Four new cubs. Amazing, and ridiculously cute.

What’s the deal with Yellowstone and protection?

“The population of grizzlies in the Yellowstone region was given protection under the Endangered Species Act in 1975 after their numbers dipped to less than 150, and scientists feared they could disappear altogether. But their recovery, thanks to habitat protection, crackdowns on poaching and a ban on hunting, is considered one of the greatest conservation triumphs in US history. Today, at least 700 grizzlies inhabit the region and, luring tourists, they have paid tangible economic dividends.

Here’s more on what’s been going on at Yellowstone since 1975. In particular, the reintroduction of wolves 25 years ago, still controversial, regenerated the whole park ecosystem, much the same way as introducing large foraging animals did at Knepp Estate in England (there’s more cool stuff on Knepp in my blog posts here and here).

Have a wicked day!

[Cover photo also by Thomas D Mangelsen / mangelsen.com]