Hikers Killed by Grizzly Bear in Alberta
Posted 2023-10-12 by
The aggressive bear was shot and killed by first responders
A grizzly bear attacked and killed two hikers and their dog in Alberta’s Banff National Park.
Parks Canada said in a statement that it received an alert late Friday, September 29, 2023, from a GPS device indicating a bear attack in the Red Deer River Valley in Banff National Park.
Reuters reports that weather conditions did not allow for helicopter use, so the rescue team hiked through the night to reach the location, where they discovered two deceased individuals and a deceased dog.
They also discovered an aggressive bear in the area and euthanized it.
Kim Titchener, the founder of Bear Safety and More and also a friend of the family, said the victims were a Canadian couple.
Titchener said fatal attacks are extremely rare, but encounters are increasing as more people head outdoors.
"It's really just the reason why we're seeing more attacks, which is more people heading outdoors and unfortunately not being educated on this," she told Reuters.
Parks Canada said the area around Red Deer and Panther Valley is closed and will remain closed until further notice.
