- Two people are dead and a grizzly bear has been euthanized after an attack in Banff National Park.
- Parks Canada said staff received a bear attack alert Friday night, and a response team mobilized.
Two people were killed by a grizzly bear in Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, this weekend, prompting a response team to euthanize the animal on-site, according to Parks Canada.
The federal agency said in a statement on Sunday that authorities received a bear attack alert from a GPS device on Friday evening. Though Parks Canada's Wildlife Human Attack Response Team mobilized immediately, weather conditions prevented them from using a helicopter and the team had to travel by ground.
Hours later, when the response team arrived on-site, they found two people dead, the statement said. Parks Canada did not identify the victims.
"While in the area, the response team encountered a grizzly bear that displayed aggressive behavior, leading Parks Canada staff to euthanize the bear on-site to ensure public safety," the statement said.
Banff National Park, located in Alberta's Rocky Mountains, is known for its grizzly bears and black bears. Parks Canada advises hikers to carry bear spray, make noise, and travel in large groups. In the event of a bear encounter, Parks Canada says people should remain calm, refrain from running, and make themselves appear big.
Another grizzly encounter made news in Banff last week after a 650-pound bear known as The Boss — it once ate a black bear and survived being hit by a train — crept into multiple backyards to gorge itself on apples.
Town officials are now pleading with homeowners in the area to replace their fruit trees with ones that don't attract bears, according to CBC News.