Parks Canada says charges have been laid against two hikers who, along with their off-leash dog, encountered a grizzly bear in Banff National Park on Sunday, July 19.
The video of the encounter on Taylor Lake trail shows two people, one visible on camera and one recording, backing up along a trail as the grizzly follows closely.
Washington State resident Brook Koski told Storyful that her husband, Kraig, initially encountered the bear on his own while jogging ahead of Brook on the trail.
The footage, filmed by Brook, shows the bear slowly following Kraig as he walked away backwards, facing the bear, along with their dog Lola.
In the video, Kraig is heard yelling, “Back off!”
Brook, who was shooting the footage, yells, “You’re too close!”
Their dog, Lola, runs back and forth between the them, at times barking at the bear.
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The video ends with the hikers still backing away from the grizzly as it runs away off the trail.
Bear 142 is seen with her cubs at Banff National Park in an undated handout photo.
Video of the encounter was posted to Instagram, and Parks Canada wardens were able to identify the people involved.
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The regulatory charges under the Canada National Parks Act are for having an off-leash dog in a national park.
Parks Canada says bears and other wildlife may react aggressively toward dogs they view as threats, resulting in injury or death.
It says the bear in the video has been identified as Bear 142, a tagged female grizzly.
“Off-leash dogs can also cause wildlife stress, leading to them avoiding important habitat and sources of food,” Parks Canada said in a statement.
“Always keep your pets on leash when visiting national parks.”
— With files from Karen Bartko, Global News