Kansas woman killed by grizzly bear was 'beautiful free spirit', says mother

A Kansas woman killed by a grizzly bear on a trail near Yellowstone National Park last Saturday was a "beautiful free spirit", her mother says.

The body of Amie Adamson, 48, was found by park officials in a wooded area near the town of West Yellowstone, Montana.

Bear tracks were spotted close by and the authorities have laid traps to try to capture the grizzly.

Adamson's mother Janet says she was an avid hiker and marathon runner who died doing what she loved best.

"He took her where she was out doing what she loved and that gives us comfort."

Amie Adamson, a qualified English teacher, decided to leave the classroom in 2015 to backpack across the US. She later wrote a book about her experiences titled Walking Out.

On her Facebook page, there is a photo with a caption "We have nothing to lose and a world to see."

Her body was discovered on Saturday morning. Local officials later said the cause of her death was excessive blood loss caused by a bear mauling.

They said she hadn't carried bear spray deterrent recommended by wildlife experts in areas where these large carnivoran mammals roam.

She is believed to have been killed during a chance encounter, ruling out a predatory attack.

Morgan Jacobsen of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said the bear was travelling with one or more cubs at the time.

The attack happened near a trailhead and a campground and if captured, the bear could be killed or relocated, he said.

Just days before, Montana's fish, wildlife and parks department warned visitors and staff of the increased danger from grizzlies and urged campers and hikers to carry bear spray and to secure food and rubbish.

Yellowstone has two main bear species - the grizzly and the black bear. While the latter is much smaller, both species are considered potentially dangerous.

The US National Park Service estimates that grizzly numbers in the greater Yellowstone area have increased from 136 in 1975 to a peak of more than 1,000 in 2021.

"Grizzly bears may range over hundreds of square miles, and the potential for conflicts with human activities, especially when food is present, makes the presence of a viable grizzly population a continuing challenge," it says.