Canada grizzly bear attack victims were on permitted hike, carrying bear spray

(Reuters) – Canadian park officials confirmed on Tuesday that the two individuals who were killed by a grizzly bear in Banff National Park in Alberta last week were on a permitted hiking and camping trip. At the time of the incident, there was no active bear warning, according to the officials.

Parks Canada stated that park staff discovered two cans of bear spray and observed that the victims’ food had been hung properly to prevent attracting animals.

This tragic event marked the first deaths caused by a grizzly bear in Banff National Park in years. Moreover, the bear responsible for the attack was not previously collared, tagged, or known to park staff, the statement further revealed.

Parks Canada received notification about the bear attack on Friday evening. In response, the response team shot and killed the bear when it charged at them.

Through a necropsy, officials determined that the bear was a non-lactating older female, estimated to be over 25 years old. However, the bear had less body fat than expected for this time of year and also had dental issues.

The statement made by Parks Canada indicated that there is currently no belief of the involvement of another bear in the incident. Nonetheless, as a precautionary measure, an area closure has been implemented.

The identities of the victims will not be disclosed by Parks Canada. However, according to Kim Titchener, the founder of Bear Safety and More and a family friend, the victims were a Canadian couple and their dog.

Bear sightings tend to increase during the autumn season as the creatures become more active while searching for food before hibernating during the cold winter months. Banff National Park, which attracts more than 4 million tourists annually, is home to both grizzly and black bears.

In Alberta, the grizzly bear population in Banff National Park is considered threatened, with approximately 60 bears residing there. Over the past decade, there have been three recorded non-fatal encounters with grizzly bears in the park.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)