Grizzly Bear Kills Woman Near Yellowstone
A Kansas woman was killed by a grizzly bear while jogging near Yellowstone National Park.
Amie Adamson, 48, was found dead by a hiker the morning of July 22nd on a trail frequented by hikers and joggers. The trail is near a campground and RV park.
The cause of death was found to be excessive blood loss from a bear mauling.
Investigators say there were signs of a mother grizzly bear and at least one cub. A trail camera in the area spotted a grizzly with two cubs the night of the attack.
The attack did not appear to be predatory as the victim did not show signs of being consumed.
Grizzly bears and black bears are regularly seen in the area where Adamson was killed.
{Affiliate links included below.}
An alert had been issued a few days before the attack advising hikers to carry bear spray and avoid leaving food available for bears.
Authorities set traps in hopes of capturing and relocating the bear, but the effort was unsuccessful.
According to Yellowstone Park authorities, there is about one bear attack per year.
Records shows eight deaths due to bears at Yellowstone since 1872.
But at least nine people have been killed since 2010 by grizzly bears in the vicinity of Yellowstone National park.
According to the National Park Service:
“More people in the park have died from drowning (125 incidents) and burns (after falling into hot springs, 23 incidents) than have been killed by bears. To put it in perspective, the probability of being killed by a bear in the park (8 incidents) is only slightly higher than the probability of being killed by a falling tree (7 incidents), in an avalanche (6 incidents), or being struck and killed by lightning (5 incidents).”
National Park Service
Adamson retired from teaching English in 2015 and had travelled the country. She had written a book about her life and travels.
According to Adamson’s mother, Janet Adamson:
“God is so good. He took her by nature, not by any evil deed, bad accident or bad illness. He took her where she was out doing what she loved and that gives us comfort.”
Janet Adamson, mother of mauling victim Amie Adamson
Grizzly bear populations have skyrocketed over the past several years. There are estimated to be more than 1,000 grizzlies in the Yellowstone area.
Due to federal laws, grizzly bears may currently only be hunted in Alaska. But some officials in the Yellowstone area are pushing to reinstate grizzly hunting to control the growing bear population.
Experts recommend always carrying bear spray when hiking through areas known to be inhabited by bears.
Additional sources: CBS News
