We all are taught various tricks to save ourselves in the wild, whether it is staying still around a snake or laying down around a lion or tiger, but people often forget to tell us what to do when we are face-to-face with a Grizzly Bear.
With large claws and super speed, Wildsafe BC mentions how attacks by Grizzly Bears are uncommon but can occasionally be fatal. They also mention that, on average, less than one fatal black bear attack happens on humans every five years, and only injuries are seen around wildlife areas.
Maybe one such unfortunate incident has already happened, and the rarest of the rare came true in Canada. A Grizzly bear attacked and killed a couple and a dog at Canada’s Banff National Park on September 29, 2023. After this, the bear was euthanized for displaying aggressive behavior, as per a report by People.
The report states, “According to Banff National Park’s post, the attack took place in the Red Deer River Valley, where Parks Canada sent out the Wildlife Human Attack Response Team in response.” The Park, which is one of the 37 national parks, announced the deaths officially on October 1, 2023, via their Facebook page.
A bear attack in Alberta's Banff National Park has left two people dead, Parks Canada announced late Saturday.https://t.co/oWckUus4g6
— CBC News (@CBCNews) October 1, 2023
They mention, “Canada Dispatch were alerted to a bear attack via GPS at around 8 p.m. MT Friday.” Multiple media outlets, including the People, report, “The team found two “deceased individuals” at 1 a.m. after the response team traveled by ground due to weather conditions not allowing for helicopter travel. They also discovered a bear that “displayed aggressive behavior” and Parks Canada euthanized it. At 5 a.m., Sundre Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrived at the scene and transported the victims to Sundre, Alberta, per the Facebook post. The area of the reported bear attack was then closed as a result.”
The Banff National Park issued a statement saying, “This is a tragic incident, and Parks Canada wishes to express its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims.”
While this spiked fear, Kim Titchener, who is a family friend and the founder of Bear Safety and More, told in an interview with Reuters that “the victims of the bear attack were a couple and their dog. Titchener added that bear encounters are increasing as more people go outside, but that fatal attacks are rare.”
She said, and People reports, “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.” There have been 60 Grizzly bears living in the Banff National Park Area.
Titchener adds to Reuters, “Both grizzly and black bears inhabit the Banff National Park area, and Titchener told Reuters that the estimated 60 grizzly bears living there are considered to be a threatened population in local Alberta.” But is this a recurring incident? Yes. In August, an 82-year-old woman was attacked in her Colorado Home, and a 7-year-old was attacked in his yard in New York, reports People.
People also spoke to Steve Searles, who is a part of Animal Planet’s reality show The Bear Whisperer. He says, “there are countless, tens of thousands [of] encounters every day without it going bad, without an incident.” He mentions that to save oneself from such incidents, making “a loud noise” or “hands above your head” can help. However, experts also suggest Bear Spray as a good defense option.