04 October 2023 , 22:21
1038
0
A couple who were mauled to death along with their dog by a grizzly bear have been identified by their devastated family.
Doug Inglis and Jenny Gusse, both 62, would often take week-long camping trips each year. The couple from Lethbridge, Alberta, had known each other since university and were married under common law.
Doug's uncle Colin said: "They are a couple that loved each other and loved the outdoors. And they were highly, highly experienced in being out back, whether it be serious treks or canoeing, whitewater canoeing in the North country."
On the night of their fatal mauling, Colin said he got a horrifying SOS message from the couple's GPS device which read: "Bear attack bad."
For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to .
Reality TV personality Stephen Bear faces court over fence row with council
The couple were killed in Banff National Park (Getty Images)Parks Canada were alerted but couldn't get to the area due to bad . When they finally arrived at 1am, they found Doug, Jenny and their beloved Border Collie, Tris, lying dead next to two empty cans of bear spray.
A thin old female grizzly bear, estimated to be over 25 years old, was found nearby and was shot dead when it charged at the rescuers. Colin said: "That night was a start, obviously, of what's continuing to be a grieving process. You have that notification, you know that something bad is happening. You don't have a lot of information."
Rescuers found the couple's food had been hung correctly to avoid attracting animals, Parks Canada said in a statement.
A statement from the family read: "They were long-term partners who loved the outdoors and were inseparable. 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."
Bears can get particularly aggressive towards the end of the year (AP)It also said they had received a notification via inReach, a satellite communicator used by campers in remote locations, at 5 p.m. on Friday letting them know the couple had set up camp for the night.
“They checked in every night,” the statement said. “This means they were not travelling after dark and they were not setting up camp when the attack happened.”
A statement from Banff National Park said: “This is a tragic incident and Parks Canada wishes to express its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the victims.”
The national park is a popular tourist attraction, attracting over four million every year. It is also home to both grizzly and black bears.
Kim Titchener, who provides training on bear safety and bear assessments, said there are around 65 grizzly bears in Banff National Park. They are considered to be a threatened population in Alberta, which has a total grizzly population of 691.
She said bear attacks are becoming more common as warm weather means more people are more likely to head outdoors, but she added that fatal attacks remain extremely rare.
Dentist named 'Bear Drills' after surgery on mammal rescued from abandoned zoo
"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," she said, adding that only 14 per cent of grizzly bear attacks worldwide lead to fatalities.
The Banff National Park attack was the second fatal grizzly attack in North America since July.