The incident unfolded on the Taylor Lake trail, about nine miles south-east of Lake Louise, as Washington residents Brook and Kraig Koski backed away from Bear 142, a well-known female grizzly in the park.CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE FROM OUTKICKGrizzly bear in Jasper National Park, Canada.(Getty Images/iStockphoto)According to reports, Kraig initially encountered the bear while jogging ahead of his wife on the trail.
Brook recorded the roughly 90-second video as the bear slowly followed Kraig, who walked backward while facing it and carrying bear spray.Meanwhile, their small dog, Lola, ran freely between the hikers and the grizzly, at times barking at the bear."Back off!" Kraig can be heard yelling."You’re too close!" Brook says from behind the camera.The hikers also repeatedly call for Lola, but at no point in the video do they appear to leash the dog or simply pick her up — despite having ample opportunity to do so.It’s one of the most frustrating videos you’ll ever watch.Eventually, Bear 142 leaves the trail and disappears into the woods.The encounter fortunately ended without anyone being injured, but Parks Canada wardens were able to identify the hikers after the video was posted online and racked up millions of views.WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER STAYS ICE-COLD AS MASSIVE BROWN BEAR WALKS RIGHT UP TO HIS CAMERAThe pair now face regulatory charges under the Canada National Parks Act for having an off-leash dog in a national park.
Pets are required to be secured on a leash no longer than three meters, and the hikers could face fines of up to $25,000 if convicted."Failure to keep your pets leashed in the national parks poses risks to pets and wildlife," Parks Canada spokesperson James Eastham said in a statement."Bears and other wildlife may react aggressively toward dogs they view as threats, resulting in their injury or death."A Bear Country sign in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia warns visitors to protect their property and store food properly.
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