In an incident in Alberta’s Banff National Park, two individuals lost their lives in a bear attack, according to Parks Canada.
Natalie Fay, the external relations manager for the Banff field unit, revealed that Parks Canada received an alert from a GPS device originating from the Red Deer River Valley around 8 p.m. on Friday, indicating a bear attack. In response, a specialized team trained to handle wildlife attacks was immediately deployed. Unfortunately, adverse weather conditions prevented the use of helicopters, so the response team had to travel to the location by ground, working through the night.
The Wildlife Human Attack Response Team arrived at the scene at 1 a.m. and tragically discovered two deceased individuals.
Fay further reported that during the response operation, the team encountered a grizzly bear displaying aggressive behavior in the vicinity. In the interest of public safety, Parks Canada staff made the difficult decision to euthanize the bear.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrived at 5 a.m. to transport the victims to Sundre, Alberta. As a safety precaution, an area closure remains in effect in the vicinity of the attack.
Area Closure Notice – The Red Deer and Panther Valleys. For more information, visit https://t.co/a3YChN13Qx pic.twitter.com/QGSbQ30Gj0
— Banff National Park, Parks Canada (@BanffNP) October 1, 2023