Couple killed by grizzly bear took the proper precautions. Why didn’t it save them?

A couple killed by a grizzly bear in the Canadian wilderness seemingly did everything right to ensure their safety, according to officials. So why were they attacked?

The couple, along with their dog, were on a backcountry hiking and camping trip in Banff National Park, and had set up camp for the night when a grizzly bear attacked them, at about 8 p.m. Sept 29, according to Parks Canada.

Their food was stored and hung properly, officials said. They were in a permitted area with no active bear warnings in place. They brought two cans of bear spray with them, widely agreed to be an effective deterrent against all bears, even grizzlies. None of this saved them.

“They are a couple that loved each other and loved the outdoors,” family member Colin Inglis told CBC.

Doug Inglis and Jenny Gusse, both 62, “were highly, highly experienced in being out back, whether it be serious treks or canoeing, whitewater canoeing in the North country,” Inglis told the outlet.

Around the same time wildlife officials received a GPS alert, Inglis said he received an SOS from the couple as well, the outlet reported.

“The message said, ‘Bear attack bad,’” Inglis said.

PREDATORY ATTACK?

People are often to blame for deadly bear encounters. Improperly storing food or accidentally walking between a mother and her cubs are examples.

But on rare occasions, the reason is chillingly simple, experts told the Calgary Herald. It may have been a purely predatory attack.

With the attack occurring at night, experts say, it’s unlikely the couple would have stumbled across the bear or done anything to surprise it, the outlet reported.

“It’s possible (the victims) did the best they could, but sometimes there’s not much you can do about it,” human-wildlife conflict specialist Kim Titchener told the outlet.

Due to weather conditions, a specialized wildlife response team was forced to make its way to the GPS alert location on foot, officials said. The responders arrived at the site five hours later, at 1 a.m., and soon encountered the grizzly.

It was still displaying aggressive behavior, officials said. The bear charged and the team opened fire, killing it.

An empty can of bear spray was found near the couple’s wrecked tent, Inglis told the Calgary Herald. Every ounce of its burning, choking contents had been spent, but the bear didn’t stop.

“They did everything right, but bad things happen,” he said.

‘We will never know’

Parks Canada carried out a necropsy on the bear, confirming it killed the couple and their dog. It was an older female, about 25 years of age, officials said. Its teeth were in bad shape, and it had “less than normal” body fat for the time of year.

It had never been collared or tagged and wasn’t known to wildlife officials at the park, Parks Canada said.

“The incident happened in a remote wilderness location and there were no witnesses,” officials said. “We will never know the full details of what led to the attack and will not speculate.”

Banff National Park is located in Alberta in the Canadian Rockies.

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