Emergencies
Canadian media: Couple with dog killed by grizzly bear
A grizzly bear in the wild. (archive image) photo
© Jim Urquhart/AP/dpa
A man, a woman and their dog are said to have died in a Canadian national park. They are said to have been attacked by a bear.
“They were long-time partners who loved nature and were inseparable,” the station quoted a family member as saying. “They lived to be in the wilderness and were two of the most cautious people I know.” The victims knew and followed the usual rules to protect themselves from bear attacks.
The park authority had already received a tip about a possible bear attack via a GPS device on Friday evening, the authority wrote on Facebook on Sunday. However, due to bad weather, no helicopter could take off. A team specially trained to deal with wild animal attacks took the overland route to the Red Deer River Valley in Banff National Park. But it was too late.
The team found two people who had died. During the operation, they also discovered a grizzly bear that was behaving aggressively. The animal was euthanized to protect the public. Parts of the national park were temporarily closed, it said.
Fatal bear attacks on people are extremely rare, an expert told the broadcaster. To protect yourself from attacks, she advised traveling in groups, making loud noises and carrying bear spray. It was initially unclear how the attack came about on Friday. “This is a tragic incident,” the authority said, extending condolences to families and friends of the victims.
Statement from the park authority on Facebook CBC