CBC: A grizzly bear attacked and killed two people in Banff National Park west of Sundre, Alta., on Friday night, Parks Canada says.

The people who died were common-law partners, according to a family member of one of the deceased whose name CBC News is choosing to keep confidential until all members of the family have been notified. The couple’s dog, who was with them at the time, was also killed. 

“They were long-term partners who loved the outdoors and were inseparable,” read a statement from the family member.

“They lived for being in the backcountry and were two of the most cautious people I know. They knew bear protocol and followed it to a tee.”

Parks Canada received an alert from a GPS device in the Red Deer River Valley west of Ya Ha Tinda Ranch at about 8 p.m. on Friday indicating a bear attack, said Natalie Fay, external relations manager for the Banff field unit.

In a statement, Fay said a team specially trained in wildlife attacks was immediately mobilized, but weather hindered their response time.

“Weather conditions at the time did not allow for helicopter use, and the response team travelled through the night to the location by the ground,” she said.

“The response team arrived on-site at 1 a.m. and discovered two deceased individuals.”

While in the area, the response team encountered a grizzly bear displaying aggressive behaviour, Fay said, leading Parks Canada staff to destroy the animal on-site for public safety.

RCMP arrived at 5 a.m. to transport the victims to Sundre, Alta., she said.

“This is a tragic incident and Parks Canada wishes to express its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims,” the statement read. 

Kim Titchener, a human wildlife conflict specialist based in Alberta, said deadly bear encounters are rare.

Only 14 per cent of grizzly bear attacks worldwide lead to fatalities, she said.

“Often when people have encounters with grizzlies, usually the grizzly goes one direction and the people go in the other,” said Titchener, who is the founder of the Alberta-based Bear Safety and More.

“So we rarely do see cases where we actually have everyone involved killed.”

Titchener said the majority of bear attacks tend to be caused by surprise run-ins. Bears also tend to be more active at dusk, she said.

Couple fatally attacked by a grizzly bear in Banff National Park. Colin Inglis identified his nephew Doug Inglis, 62, and Jenny Gusse, 62, as the two backcountry campers killed Friday. Their dog was also killed in the attack. The bear was not known to the local wildlife experts. pic.twitter.com/IC90nk8acc

— That Guy Shane (@ProfanityNewz) October 4, 2023

Merle Fox and his wife Laurie have managed Sunset Guiding and Outfitting west of Sundre for the last 14 years. Fox said his camp is roughly three hours west of where the attack happened by horseback. 

“Well, I hate to say it, but I wasn’t really surprised,” Fox said in response to hearing about the attack. 

“Bears are hungry at this time of the year and there are no berries or a thing out there for them this year.”

Fox said a late frost in spring froze off all the berry blossoms, leading to a shortage of one of bears’ main food groups. He added that faced with a vegetation shortage, grizzly bears will turn to eating deer, young elk, or wild horses instead. 

“I think that’s probably why these two people were attacked, is that the bear was hungry and he saw them as an easy target.”

No shit, the Bear was hungry. It ate two people and their dog.

According to authorities, Merle and Laurie emptied a couple of pepper spray cans during the attack, which is cute. Call me an unsympathetic asshole, but if you’re going to tempt fate by spending a few nights in a grizzly bear’s kitchen, you should probably bring more than a can of pepper spray or avoid it altogether.

I’m a firm believer in staying the fuck away from Bears. Sharks too. That’s why I don’t swim in shark-infested waters or camp around bear dens during hibernation prep season. As a fan of self-preservation, I’d like to have a long life filled with memories that don’t include being attacked by 900-pound killing machines at the top of the food chain.

And camping sucks. I’ve never understood the desire to take a break from 49 solid work weeks to live in the bush like a vagrant.

Last night, I went to bed in a bear-free room with my laptop and a bowl of pistachios. I woke up, made a pot of coffee, and moved my bowels into a toilet, not a hole in the ground. I made pancakes for my son, loaded my dishes into a dishwasher, and drove to the grocery store for some green onions and mushrooms for tonight’s stir-fry. I didn’t have to forage for mushrooms while portioning freeze-dried meat; I had to hang in a tree 40 feet up.

Plus, no bears.

I hate to say it, but Merle and Laurie had it coming. Sad but true. Don’t fuck around in a grizzly’s bedroom. I call it the “Timothy Treadwell Rule.

"Grizzly Man" Comes to a Grizzly End

October 5, 2003:
Timothy Treadwell, the American environmentalist famed as the "Grizzly Man," met a tragic end when he and his girlfriend were fatally attacked and consumed by a bear during their camping expedition amidst the grizzlies. For… pic.twitter.com/idSNli68RS

— DYK (@DidYouKnow007x) October 4, 2023

DB