Banff National Park, a Canadian location with natural beauty, was the setting of a disturbing incident last month. A couple and their dog lost their lives to a presumed grizzly bear attack. The park’s official Facebook page released the details, illuminating the risks of enjoying the outdoors near potentially deadly wildlife.
Doug Inglis and Jenny Gusse, both 62, avid outdoors enthusiasts, were on an adventure near the Red Deer River Valley by the Ya Ha Tinda Ranch, just about 80 miles from Calgary, Alberta. Their trip took an unexpected turn as an inReach GPS device signaled a desperate cry for help on September 29th. Parks Canada’s Wildlife Human Attack Response Team was dispatched to the area but were delayed by bad weather.
Upon arriving at around 1 a.m., the team was met with the chilling sight of the lifeless bodies of both hikers and their dog, victims of what appeared to be a brutal bear attack. In the process of their investigation, an aggressive grizzly bear was encountered and had to be euthanized out of a need to safeguard public safety. The victims were transported to Sundre, Alberta.
Despite their known adherence to bear safety protocols, the couple found themselves in a deadly situation, but the exact sequence of events remains unknown. It was reported that a full can of bear spray had been used by the couple, but to no effect.
Kim Titchener of the Alberta-based organization Bear Safety & More, says that grizzly attacks are typically defensive rather than predatory, possibly surprising the couple at dusk.
A family member of the victims referenced a GPS alert activated at 5 p.m, indicating the couple were not on the move but had likely settled down – challenging the dusk activity theory.
