Current:Home > StocksWoman found dead after suspected bear encounter near Yellowstone-InfoLens
Woman found dead after suspected bear encounter near Yellowstone
View Date:2024-12-23 16:33:02
A woman was found dead after what authorities said was "an apparent bear encounter" near Yellowstone National Park in Montana.
The deadly incident follows a spate of fatal or serious bear attacks nationwide, including Arizona, North Carolina, and Colorado.
Authorities located a woman’s body on Saturday morning on Buttermilk Trail west of West Yellowstone, Montana, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.
Authorities said grizzly bear tracks were found at the scene. An investigation is ongoing.
MORE: 'The Earth is screaming at us': Gov. Inslee calls for climate action amid record heat
Amie Adamson, 47, of Derby, Kansas, was identified by her family as the victim of the bear attack. Working in Yellowstone for the summer, Adamson was on a morning hike when she was attacked by a mother bear, according to her mother Janet Adamson.
“She was a free spirit adventurer that loved the outdoors, hiked, ran and explored. She died doing something she loved in a place she loved…,” Janet Adamson wrote in a Facebook post.
Citing human safety, the Custer Gallatin National Forest implemented an emergency closure of the Buttermilk Area, according to wildlife officials. The closure area is located about 8 miles from West Yellowstone.
The population of grizzly bears has grown in recent years, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks said in a statement.
Last month, a 66-year-old man was killed by a bear in Arizona in what authorities called a "highly unusual," unprovoked attack.
The victim -- identified as Steven Jackson, of Tucson -- was in the process of building a cabin in the area, authorities said. He was sitting in a chair outside of his campsite when a bear attacked him, according to Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes.
In another bear-related incident, a 35-year-old sheepherder was attacked by a black bear in San Juan National Forest in Colorado on July 11, according to the state's parks and wildlife department.
The man was severely wounded and sustained injuries to his head, left hand and arm, back and left hip, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.
"This is an unfortunate incident and we are thankful the victim was able to contact help to get emergency services deployed and that he was able to be extracted to receive necessary medical care,” CPW Area Wildlife Manager Adrian Archuleta said in a news release.
A North Carolina man similarly encountered a bear while running in the Pisgah National Forest on July 7, according to ABC affiliate WSOC.
Faced with a mother bear during his morning run, Bill Palas told WSOC that he attempted to defend himself by hitting the bear with his arm, a decision that resulted in his arm landing in the bear's mouth. The bear eventually ran off with her cub, leaving Palas with injuries to his face, chest and arm.
“I was running on adrenaline and shock," Palas said. "I got 20 yards or so down the steep hill and I surveyed myself. You know, how bad am I? All I know is blood is just gushing out everywhere."
MORE: 3 dead after spate of tragic accidents at national parks
Despite these three incidents, bear attacks are rare occurrences, according to the National Park Service.
Within the confines of Yellowstone National Park, eight people have died from bear attacks since the park’s inception, a rate dramatically less frequent than deaths from drowning (125 incidents) or burns (23 incidents), according to the National Park Service.
Nevertheless, bear attacks can result in serious injuries and death, and the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks suggested people going outdoors in areas where there are bears, should follow some precautionary steps:
- Carry and know how to use bear spray.
- Travel in groups whenever possible and plan to be out in the daylight hours.
- Avoid carcass sites and concentrations of ravens and other scavengers.
- Watch for signs of bears such as bear scat, diggings, torn-up logs and turned-over rocks, and partly consumed animal carcasses.
- Make noise, especially near streams or in thick forest where hearing and visibility are limited, to alert bears to your presence.
- Don't approach a bear.
If attacked by a bear, the National Park Service advises that hikers who encounter Brown or Grizzly bears “play dead” and avoid fighting back. Alternatively, hikers who encounter Black bears should attempt to escape if possible; if not, the Park Service advises fighting back with a focus on the bear’s face or muzzle.
ABC News' Meredith Deliso and Laryssa Demkiw contributed to this report.
veryGood! (84869)
Related
- Colts' Kenny Moore II ridicules team's effort in loss to Bills
- US, Arab countries disagree on need for cease-fire; Israeli strikes kill civilians: Updates
- CB Xavien Howard and LT Terron Armstead active for Dolphins against Chiefs in Germany
- Michael J. Fox calls breaking bones due to Parkinson's symptoms a 'tsunami of misfortune'
- Mean Girls’ Lacey Chabert Details “Full Circle” Reunion With Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried
- Why does Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You' end 'Priscilla,' about Elvis' ex-wife?
- US, Arab countries disagree on need for cease-fire; Israeli strikes kill civilians: Updates
- Judge in Trump fraud trial issues new gag order on attorneys after dispute over clerk
- Blake Snell free agent rumors: Best fits for two-time Cy Young winner
- Would Summer House's Lindsay Hubbard Ever Get Back With Carl Radke After Split? She Says...
Ranking
- Tesla issues 6th Cybertruck recall this year, with over 2,400 vehicles affected
- A muted box office weekend without ‘Dune: Part Two’
- Colorado football players get back some items stolen from Rose Bowl locker room
- 2023 NYC Marathon: Ethiopia's Tamirat Tola breaks record in men's pro race
- Two 'incredibly rare' sea serpents seen in Southern California waters months apart
- Israeli jets strike Gaza refugee camp, as US fails to win immediate support for pause in fighting
- Afghan farmers lose income of more than $1 billion after the Taliban banned poppy cultivation
- Khloe Kardashian's Daughter True Thompson Reveals How She Lost Her Front Tooth in Adorable Video
Recommendation
-
What are the best financial advising companies? Help USA TODAY rank the top U.S. firms
-
A muted box office weekend without ‘Dune: Part Two’
-
A Ukrainian missile strike on a shipyard in Crimea damages a Russian ship
-
Louisiana-Monroe staff member carted off after sideline collision in game vs. Southern Miss
-
Suspect in deadly 2023 Atlanta shooting is deemed not competent to stand trial
-
Trump State Department official Federico Klein sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison for assault on Capitol
-
WWE Crown Jewel takeaways: Kairi Sane has big return, while Solo Sikoa and LA Knight shine
-
A glance at some of Nepal’s deadliest earthquakes