An Alberta bear expert, Kim Titchener, who is a family friend of one of the individuals killed by a grizzly bear in Banff National Park, believes that the couple may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Titchener, who runs a company called Bear Safety and More, stated that the couple, who were accompanied by their dog, had extensive experience in outdoor activities and were unlikely to have made common mistakes such as leaving out food sources or failing to carry bear spray.
Parks Canada, however, has not disclosed any further details about the incident and did not respond to interview requests on Monday. According to a statement released by the federal agency on Saturday, they received an alert from an inReach GPS device reporting a bear attack west of Ya Ha Tinda Ranch on Friday evening. Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the Wildlife Human Attack Response Team could only reach the location by ground and arrived at around 1 a.m. Saturday, where they tragically discovered the bodies of the couple. The team encountered an aggressive grizzly bear and took the necessary action to protect the public by euthanizing it.
Titchener emphasized that she is not aware of the specific circumstances surrounding this incident. However, she speculated that the couple, who had likely set up camp before 8 p.m., might have encountered a surprised bear guarding its cubs or a carcass. Additionally, she pointed out that bears may perceive dogs as a threat to their young or food source, potentially leading to an attack on the dog and subsequently on the owners if they attempt to intervene.
As a safety precaution, the Red Deer and Panther valleys from Snow Creek summit to the national park boundary, and north to Shale Pass, remain closed until further notice. Banff National Park is renowned for being home to both grizzly and black bears. Despite the tragedy, Titchener emphasized that fatal bear attacks are still relatively rare in North America, with only a few maulings reported each year and fatalities being even more uncommon.