216 Marilyn July 2007 NPS photo from the 2014 Bears of Brooks River book
Adult Female ~ No Longer Seen
Year First Identified: 1996 as a subadult
Year Last Observed: 2008
Known Offspring Of: Mother ~ not known, Father: 24 BB (aka Bald Butt)
Known Litters of Cubs: 3
Genetics Study Samples Obtained: 216 Marilyn was successfully sampled by Ranger Tamara Olson, KNP&P Wildlife Biologist sometime between 2005 and 2007,
Identification:[]
2014 Bears of Brooks River book: 216 Marilyn is a medium-sized adult female. She has a prominent shoulder hump, a shaggy and dark blonde coat, and blonde ears. Her muzzle is straight and the long hairs on her chin give it a bearded appearance.
Distinctive Behaviors:[]
2014 Bears of Brooks River book: 216 fished at the falls and the lower river area, and appeared habituated to humans. She was sometimes aggressive to other bears and has been observed bluff charging bears beneath the Falls Platform.
Life History:[]
216 Marilyn was observed along the Brooks River annually from 1996 - 2008.
1996: Subadult, Year 1st Identified[]
216 Marilyn was initially observed and classified as a subadult in 1996.
1997: Single Adult Female (Mated in 1997)[]
216 Marilyn apparently mated in 1997 since she returned to the Brooks River with her 1st known litter of 1 spring cub in 1998.
1998: Adult Female with 1 Spring Cub, 1st Known Litter[]
216 Marilyn returned to the Brooks River with 1 spring cub, her 1st known litter.
1999: Adult Female with 1 Yearling[]
216 Marilyn returned to the Brooks River with 1 yearling.
2000: Single Adult Female[]
216 Marilyn was observed using the Brooks River in 2000.
2001: Single Adult Female[]
216 Marilyn was observed using the Brooks River in 2001.
2002: Adult Female with 2 Spring Cubs, 2nd Known Litter, 790 Weevil Bear & 854 Divot[]
216 Marilyn returned to the Brooks River with 2 spring cubs, her 2nd known litter. Those offspring became 790 Weevil Bear and 854 Divot . DNA analysis has confirmed that 216 Marilyn and 24 BB (aka Bald Butt) are the parents of 790 and 854.
July 2002:[]
2003: Adult Female with 2 Yearlings, 790 Weevil Bear & 854 Divot[]
216 Marilyn returned to the Brooks River with both yearlings from her 2002 litter.
June 2003:[]
July 2003:[]
2003.07.??: Harry Eggens captured this photo that is believed to be of 216 Marilyn and her two yearlings, 790 Weevil Bear and 854 Divot.
2003.07.05: Randy Harris's two 7/5/2003 photos of a sow and 2 yearlings believed to be 216 Marilyn, 790 Weevil Bear and 854 Divot, #1 and #2.
2003.07.07: Randy Harris's 7/7/2003 photo of a sow and 2 yearlings believed to be 216 Marilyn, 790 Weevil Bear and 854 Divot.
2004: Single Adult Female[]
216 Marilyn apparently mated in 2004 since she returned with another litter of cubs in 2005.
2005: Adult Female with 4 Spring Cubs, 3rd Known Litter, then 3 Remaining Spring Cubs[]
216 Marilyn returned to the Brooks River with 4 spring cubs, her 3rd known litter. Two of those spring cubs were visibly larger and two of those spring cubs were visibly smaller. 216 was observed with all 4 spring cubs in July 2005. However, in August 2005, 216 was observed with 3 remaining spring cubs, 1 larger and 2 smaller.
2005 Season:[]
Park visitor GrizzBear44 captured video of 216 Marilyn and her 4 spring cubs in his 2005 video . Note: This YouTube account has been closed.
Bears Of Katmai - Alaska - 2005
July 2005:[]
216 Marilyn was observed with 4 spring cubs. Two of those spring cubs were visibly larger and two of those spring cubs were visibly smaller.
2005.07.13: Peter captured this photo of 216 Marilyn and her 4 spring cubs outside of the Brooks Camp Visitor Center during a bear orientation program.
August 2005:[]
216 Marilyn was observed with 3 remaining spring cubs, 1 larger and 2 smaller. (See above info from Ranger David Kopshever)
2006: Adult Female with 3 Remaining Yearlings, then 2 Remaining Yearlings[]
June 2006:[]
2006.06.29: On June 29, 2006 at approximately 16:00 (4:00 PM Alaska time) 216 Marilyn was observed with 3 remaining yearlings from her 2005 litter. On the evening of June 29, 2006, 216 Marilyn was observed at the cutbank with only 2 remaining yearlings. By the end of the summer of the 2006 season, 216 Marilyn was still observed with only 2 remaining yearlings.
2006.06.29 or later: 216 Marilyn was observed with 2 yearling cubs near the Brooks Falls platform and fishing the lip on 6/29/2006 or later, video by Carol Moraga. One yearling is much larger than the 2nd yearling which is quite small. 216 is first observed at 37:17. To the left of the screen is a sow (possibly 700 Marge) whose 2 spring cubs are treed.You can see the sow looking up the tree at her cubs (footage of a possible 700 Marge and her 2 spring cubs is from 30:52-37:17). 216 Marilyn and her yearlings move to the lip to fish. The size difference between the cubs is apparent with the smaller cub really struggling to not get washed over the lip. 216 and her cubs are observed from 37:17-40:18. Note: See the 7/16/2006 entry below for photos of an altercation between 216 Marilyn and 700 Marge.
Brown Bears of Katmai 2006, video by Carol Moraga
July 2006:[]
2006.07.??: 216 Marilyn with her 2 remaining yearlings, July 2006 video by danielfolmar.
Katmai bears 1
216 Marilyn and her 2 remaining yearlings, July 2006 video by danielfolmar
2006.07.14: Nichole captured this photo of 216 Marilyn and her two remaining yearlings.
2006.07.16: Nichole captured these photos of 216 Marilyn: #1 216 Marilyn with 2 other bears (216 is in the foreground on the right & 700 is in the foreground on the left) , #2 216 Marilyn with many other bears at the falls , #3 216 Marilyn with a fish , & #4 216 Marilyn's two remaining yearlings now have her fish .
Nichole also captured the following 3 photos of an interaction between 216 Marilyn and her two remaining yearlings vs 700 Marge and her 2 spring cubs. Nichole describes the interaction and the series of photos as follows::
"Now He Is Making Trouble ": "The little blonde runt in the middle of this image is the trouble maker. He is whining at the dark brown female who is not his mother, her cubs are behind her. Eventually the blonde runts whining resulted in......"
"Fight ": "resulted in a fight. The blonde female came to her whining cubs defense and stole the fish from the smaller, skinny brown female."
"Survival of the biggest ": "The blonde female dominated and the little blonde runt got part of the fish."
September 2006:[]
2007: Single Adult Female[]
216 Marilyn was pursued and courted by several males in 2007 according to the 2014 Bears of Brooks River book.
July 2007:[]
2007.07.06: NPS photos of 216 Marilyn with 24 BB (aka Bald Butt).:
2007.07.08: NPS photos of 216 Marilyn with 24 BB (aka Bald Butt).:
2008: Adult Female, Year Last Observed[]
216 Marilyn was last observed using the Brooks River in 2008.
2012:[]
216 Marilyn was included in the2012 Brown Bears of Brooks Camp iBook:
2014:[]
216 Marilyn was included in the 2014 Bears of Brooks River book:
2015:[]
216 Marilyn was included in the 2015 Bears of Brooks River book on page 78:
2016:[]
216 Marilyn was included in the 2016 Bears of Brooks River book on page 88. 216 Marilyn's page of the 2016 edition of the book remained unchanged from the 2015 edition of the book (with the exception of the page number). 216 Marilyn's pages of the 2017 and 2018 editions of the Bears of Brooks River books also remained unchanged (with the exception of the page numbers).:
How 216 Marilyn Got Her Nickname:[]
Add here
Known Courting & Mating:[]
2001: Mating with 24 BB (aka Bald Butt)[]
DNA analysis has confirmed that 216 Marilyn's 2002 offspring, 790 Weevil Bear and 854 Divot , are also the offspring of 24 BB (aka Bald Butt) . See known relatives section below for additional details.
2007: Pursued & Courted by Several Males[]
The 2014 Bears of Brooks River book states that 216 was pursued and courted by several males in 2007.
Known Litters of Cubs:[]
1st Known Litter: 1998[]
1998: 1 Spring Cub
1999: 1 Yearling
2nd Known Litter: 2002[]
2002: 2 Spring Cubs
2003: 2 Yearlings
These cubs were later identified as 790 Weevil Bear & 854 Divot, confirmed by DNA analysis
3rd Known Litter: 2005[]
2005: 4 Spring Cubs in July, then 3 Remaining Spring Cubs in August
216 Marilyn was observed with 4 spring cubs in July 2005; two of the spring cubs were visibly larger than the others. In August 2005, 216 Marilyn was observed with 3 remaining spring cubs, 1 larger and 2 smaller.
2006: 3 Yearlings, then 2 Remaining Yearlings by End of 2006 Summer Season
216 Marilyn was observed with 3 yearlings when first observed during the 2006 season. By the end of the summer of 2006, 216 Marilyn was observed with only 2 remaining yearlings.
Known Relatives:[]
024 & 209 family tree - updated Nov 2022
Mother: Unknown
Father: 24 BB (aka Bald Butt), DNA Confirmation
DNA analysis has confirmed that 216 Marilyn is the offspring of 24 BB (aka Bald Butt).
Ranger Aaron Camire's October 7, 2014 14:50 & 15:51 comments re: 24 BB (aka Bald Butt) is 216 Marilyn's father, and 24 BB is also 854 Divot's father and maternal grandfather.
Offspring:
790 Weevil Bear & 854 Divot (2002 litter)
DNA analysis has confirmed that 790 Weevil Bear and 854 Divot are the offspring of 216 Marilyn and 24 BB (aka Bald Butt).
From the 2015 Bears of Brooks River book page 78:
"DNA analysis confirmed that she is the mother of females #790 and #854. Compare the face of #216 and #854 and you may see the resemblance between those bears."
Ranger Aaron Camire's October 7, 2014 16:38 comment re: 24 BB is 854 DIvot's father and grandfather.
NPS photo from DNA research slide included in a presentation by Sara Turner, Tamara Olson, Troy Hamon and Jennifer Nielsen.:
Genetics Study Samples Obtained:[]
2005 - 2007: Samples Obtained by Ranger Tamara Olson, Wildlife Biologist[]
216 Marilyn, 24 BB (aka Bald Butt), 790 Weevil Bear and 854 Divot were all successfully sampled by Ranger Tamara, KNP&P Wildlife Biologist between 2005 and 2007.
A special thank you to KCanada for the NPS photos in the 2012 Brown Bears of Brooks Camp iBook.
A special thank you to Xander-Sage for creating the gif of NPS photos in the 2012 Brown Bears of Brooks Camp iBook.