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A dogwalker mauled to death and eaten by bears was discovered by her heartbroken boyfriend in the US.
Laney Malavolta’s partner paid tribute to the love of his life after finding the remains of the “life-long adventurer”, 39.
She is believed to have been killed and partially eaten by a family of black bears in a horrific footpath attack.
Authorities said there was “signs of consumption†on her body after it was discovered on Friday night.
He made the grisly discovery off a highway near the city of Durango in Colorado, US, and told officials she had gone walking with her two pooches earlier in the day.
The last time she spoke to him was late on Friday morning, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Her boyfriend, who has not been named, returned home at 8.30pm and found the two dogs outside their home.
An autopsy has now found Ms Malvolta died of “penetrating injuries to the neck,” including several bite wounds, La Plata County Coroner Jann Smith said.
Colorado is home to a thriving population of some 19,000 black bears with fatal attacks on humans are extremely rare.
Just four have been documented in the state since 1960 and a mother bear and two cubs have been tracked down and destroyed following the killing.
Ms Malavolta’s boyfriend paid a loving tribute to the woman he calls “my northern star and the love of my life”, the Mirror reports.
He said: “Laney spent her life in the outdoors and was an experienced and knowledgeable operator in the back country.
“Her greatest joy was to be in the woods with our friends, our family and our dogs.
“While Laney’s physical presence was suddenly taken from this earth, all that know and love her can take comfort; Laney’s soul will live forever in her favourite place, doing her favourite thing.
“She would not have wanted it any other way.
“While this tragedy has shaken me and our family to the core, our burden is eased as we consider these facts.
“We would like to express our sincere appreciation for the organizations involved in the investigation of Laney’s death and her recovery.”
Earlier, wildlife investigators said they had detected bear fur and faeces at the scene along with signs of consumption on the body, leading them to suspect a bear attack.
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Using tracking dogs, wildlife officers later located a 10-year-old female bear and her two yearling cubs in the area, and the three were euthanised, a statement said.
Examination of their carcasses at a state wildlife laboratory revealed human remains in the digestive tracts of the mother bear and one cub, the agency said.
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