A maturing adult female who appears proportionally fatter than ever before.

Every bear's story has a chapter where the kid grows up, and 131 is writing hers now. Born in 2018 and first identified as an independent 2.5-year-old in 2020, she spent her first years of independence doing what many subadults do: exploring her boundaries, establishing a home range, seeking out similar-aged playmates, and refining her fishing skills. Look for blond ears, dark eye rings, and a short muzzle.

Now a maturing adult, 131 has reached the age when female bears give birth for the first time. She's never been observed with cubs, which isn't surprising, since brown bear reproduction is slow even when every circumstance lines up. But each year she's grown larger and fished better, and this September she appears proportionally fatter than she has ever been. Pregnant bears need ample fat before denning, and cubs could be in 131's near future. First, though: a shot at the salmon wreath.