Banff National Park couple faces $25,000 fine after grizzly bear encounter

A Washington couple, Brook and Kraig Koski, filmed a close encounter with a known female grizzly (bear 142) on Banff National Park's Taylor Lake Trail on July 19. Their small dog, Lola, was off‑leash and ran between the hikers and the bear. Park rangers identified the pair from the viral video and charged them under the National Parks of Canada Domestic Animal Regulations, which require pets to be leashed no longer than three metres. If convicted, the hikers could be fined up to US$25,000.

Parks Canada warned that un‑leashed pets increase risk for both people and wildlife, stating, “Failure to keep your pets leashed in the national parks poses risks to pets and wildlife.” The incident highlights enforcement of wildlife safety rules in Canada’s national parks.