Grizzly kills husband, wife and pet dog in Canadian wilderness

A grizzly bear has been euthanised after it killed a husband and wife hiking in a remote corner of a national park in Canada.

Park rangers received a GPS alert indicating a bear attack on Friday around 8pm, in the Red Deer River Valley which is situated in the majestic Banff National Park.

CBC reported the couple were experienced backcountry hikers and that their dog had also been killed by the bear.

READ MORE: Woman seriously injured in South Australia shark attack

"They were outdoors people who were very used to going out into the backcountry," said Kim Titchener, a friend of the family.

"I'm sure [it's] an incredible shock for their family and I just really feel for them. It's a horrible situation."

A spokesperson for Parks Canada, Natalie Fay, said a special unit was mobilised immediately after the GPS alert, but poor weather had hampered their efforts to reach the area, which has no nearby roads and is only accessible by track or from the air.

"Weather conditions at the time did not allow for helicopter use, and the response team travelled through the night to the location by the ground," Fay said.

"The response team arrived on-site at 1am and discovered two deceased individuals."

Fay said the team encountered an aggressive grizzly bear and that they killed it for public safety.

Family friend Titchener, who is also the founder of a bear safety organisation, told CBC it is rare for bears to kill people, with only 14 per cent of bear attacks leading to fatalities.

Most bear attacks are a result of a surprise run-in, she said.

READ MORE: The window to buy a cheaper home just closed

"They could have surprised a bear at close range and had an encounter that led to a defensive attack. It's extremely rare to see predatory attacks by grizzly bears, but not unheard of."

Bears are known to be hungry this time of year, as they prepare to hibernate over winter.

Around 40 bear attacks happen each year in Canada.