A tragic bear attack in Canada’s Banff National Park resulted in the deaths of Doug Inglis and Jenny Gusse, a couple from Alberta. Their nephew, Colin Inglis, shared the distressing last message they sent via their satellite device: “Bear attack bad.” Colin, who regularly checked in with them during their trek, relayed the haunting moment of receiving the message to Canadian broadcaster CBC.
On that evening, Parks Canada Dispatch was alerted to a bear attack in the Red Deer River Valley of the park. As reported by CBS News, the couple was discovered deceased by officials in the early hours of the following day.
The aftermath suggested a chilling scene. Family members speculate that the couple might have been reading on their e-readers inside the tent when the attack occurred, as this was their usual routine. Two e-readers were found in the ruined tent. Colin also mentioned signs that the couple had tried to fend off the bear, including a used bear spray canister. “There was a struggle, and the struggle didn’t stay in one place,” he shared.
Tragically, their dog also fell victim to the bear. Following the incident, park officials euthanized the grizzly, which displayed aggressive tendencies. While fatalities from grizzly bear attacks are rare, encounters between humans and bears are on the rise, a trend attributed to an increasing number of people engaging in outdoor activities.
The couple had followed guidelines by storing their food correctly at the campsite, and there were no bear warnings in the area. Reflecting on the sad event, Colin lamented that they were simply in the “wrong place at the wrong time.”
Their deaths are the second of such kind this year in North America. In an unrelated incident, a grizzly bear killed a woman near Yellowstone National Park in July. That bear was subsequently euthanized. Additionally, a grizzly severely injured a hunter in Montana earlier in September.
Approximately 44 grizzly bear attacks are reported globally each year, and this figure appears to be increasing.
