The superstars of Tom Mangelsen’s latest book, “Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek,” are Grizzly Bear 399 and her cubs. The bruin family, through their exposition in the book, are helping the renowned wildlife photographer argue for retaining grizzlies on the Endangered Species Protection Act List, which would open them up to being hunted. “I started photographing this particular grizzly, the 399th, from her early (ear) tagging,” said Mangelsen, noting that his newest work (subtitled “An Intimate Portrait of 399, the Most Famous Bear of Greater Yellowstone,” which chronicles the life of a grizzly family), diverges from most of his other books, compilations of his 40-plus years of nature photography. “I spent 10 years photographing her, and the last time I saw her, she had triplets,” Mangelsen continued. “She sort of made herself pretty visible, being a roadside bear.” In town recently at his Images of Nature Gallery at 7916 Girard Ave. to promote and autograph his latest book, Mangelsen chatted with La Jolla Village News about grizzlies, wildlife conservation, global warming and his next planned global photographic adventures. Noting grizzlies are “considered threatened” and that most of them are “relegated to the Yellowstone ecosystem” and in Montana in the Lower 48 (where there are about 750 left), Mangelsen said an attempt is being made to have them reclassified as a “recovered” species. Doing so could lead to them being taken off the endangered species list with potentially dire consequences. “Close to 50 grizzlies,” noted the wildlife photographer, “have been killed this year by humans one way or another.” Mangelsen is a huge fan of bears in general, having for many years lensed the grizzly’s cousin, the Polar bear, in Alaska. He pointed out that polar bears are in “big trouble,” noting global warming is literally melting the ice beneath them. “They need an icy platform to hunt seals, which are 99 percent of their diet,” he added. “I just love bears,” said Mangelsen. “They’re very intelligent. And, of course, they’re masters of their universe.” The photographer said witnessing 399 and her cubs interacting and playing together has been a “very powerful” experience. Pointing out 399 has had three sets of triplets and that half of them have died or been removed from their native habitat, Mangelsen said, “It’s a tough life out there for grizzlies — even in a national park.” A Nebraska native, the wildlife conservationist said there’s “a huge movement right now to de-list grizzlies off the Endangered Species List.” He added that that action would “put them on the trophy hunting list” in states like Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, which, he added, “hasn’t been done for a long time.” Mangelsen characterized hunting these magnificent animals, and putting their heads as trophies on walls, as “really sick.” Meanwhile, he noted, people like himself “love this bear,” which he said is “really a remarkable individual. She teaches her kids to do the right thing and live among us (humans), and I think we have a responsibility to protect her and see that they don’t get hunted. There are just too many things against bears today, including climate change.” Mangelsen disputes naysayers’ claims that the global-warming theory is politically motivated. “I’ve seen glaciers in Antarctica,” he said, “that are half the size they were five years ago. I have pictures showing all the water going into the ocean.” Up soon on Mangelsen’s globe-trotting itinerary is a trip to the Caribbean to collect images of humpback whales, a journey back to Antarctica again next year and, closer to home, his annual pilgrimage to the Platte River in Nebraska to shoot the crane migration, which involves some half-million birds. For more information, visit mangelsen.com/biography.