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Published October 6, 2023, 2:49 am ET
A Canadian couple mauled to death by a grizzly bear while camping in a national park sent a disturbing message to family members in their last known text message before his death.
According to local reports, Doug Inglis and Jenny Gusse, both 62, were killed along with their dog in Friday’s bear attack in Banff National Park after their bear spray failed to stop the hungry animal.
The experienced hiking couple had shared the full itinerary of their seven-day hiking trip with Inglis’ uncle Colin Inglis and stayed in touch with him via a satellite communications device, the family member told the Calgary Herald.
Late Friday afternoon, they told him they were late getting to their planned campsite and were instead staying overnight near the Red Deer River in Panther Valley.
Jenny Gusse and Doug Inglis were killed by a grizzly bear while canoeing in northern Saskatchewan. Ron Teather
But just hours later, Colin said he received a disturbing SOS message and knew immediately it was serious.
“I received a call from your Garmin [inReach device] It said, ‘Bear attack bad,'” he told the local outlet, adding that Parks Canada officials were automatically notified by the couple’s message.
“The alarm bells rang: ‘This is not good’ – which meant there had been an engagement. You’re completely helpless to know what’s going on.”
The couple sent a disturbing text message saying the bear spray they used to scare away the grizzly had failed.Ron Teather
A helicopter was deployed to find and rescue the couple but had to turn back in cloudy weather. An emergency team was then sent to the scene at around 10:30 p.m. to reach Inglis and Gusse with off-road vehicles
The hike took three hours and it was nearly 2 a.m. when they reached the couple’s campsite, according to the Herald. There they found the mangled bodies of Inglis and Gusse and their seven-year-old border collie, Colin said.
The pair – a research scientist and a laboratory technician at the Agriculture and Food Research Center – appeared to have tried to defend themselves against the pole with bear spray, but the animal was relentless.
“A can of bear spray was completely discharged, but this bear was undeterred,” Colin said.
The grizzly was still showing signs of aggression when the rescue team arrived on the scene and they were forced to shoot it to save themselves. Peter Adams/Danita Delimont – stock.adobe.com
Park officials believe the couple was sitting in their tent reading when they were attacked.
“Their tent was smashed and their e-readers were open, they were both discovered in their stockings,” the victim’s uncle recounted what authorities told him.
When the rescue team finally reached them, they encountered what was believed to be the same murderous animal responsible for the deaths of Inglis and Gusse.
The grizzly still showed signs of aggression and the crew said they were forced to shoot it to save themselves.
Banff National Park alert location obtained by Parks Canada Dispatch indicates a bear attack.Banff National Park
“According to her, the bear intended to kill her,” Colin told the Herald.
The bear was a 25-year-old female in “good physical condition” but was underweight for this time of year when animals prepare for hibernation.
Investigators will conduct an autopsy on the shot grizzly bear to confirm whether it was the same animal that killed Inglis and Gusse, who met at university and have been together ever since.
The attack marked the first time a grizzly killed a human in Banff National Park in decades.
However, in 2021, two people were killed in separate attacks in the nearby Waiparous and Water Valley areas.
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