'They broke every rule': Video shows Banff visitors face-to-face with grizzly

The Sawlor family wanted to see a grizzly bear whileon vacation in Alberta and got their wish while driving from Banff to Lake Louise.

But Mark Sawlorsays he couldn't believe how close some tourists got to the wild predator with only a wire mesh fence for protection.

"We saw some cars on the side of the road and thought there was a bear there, so we pulled over,"Sawlor said.

The familyfrom Nova Scotia was on the way to Lake Louise for a canoe trip on Wednesday and took a pit stop to record video of the bear.

Sawlorsaid that within minutes more than a dozen people were out of their cars on the side of the Trans-Canada getting dangerously close to the animal.

• Grizzly that charged hiker with stroller to be released in Banff National Park

"It was like they felt that fence was going to protect them somehow," Sawlor said. "People were turning their back to the bear Ithink they broke every rule there are around bear encounters."

"The more peoplethat gathered, the safer they felt," Sawlor said."I was just really concerned, Ididn't want my kids to see anyone get hurt."

There have been a number of incidents in recent weeks of people getting too close to wildlife in Banff National Park.

On June 25, a touristwalkedright up to a grizzlyon the side of a road in what appeared to be an attempt at a grizzly bear selfie.The encounter was caught on video by another photographerwith a telephoto lens shooting from a safe distance.

With national park entry fees waived for Canada's150thbirthday this year, Banff is bracing for record-setting tourist numbers.

Parks Canada advises people to keep their distance from wildlife.

Visitors are asked to stay 30 metres away from elk, deer, bighorn sheep and mountain goats and 100 metres for bears, wolves and cougars.

It is illegal to feed, entice or disturb wildlife in a national park. The maximumpenaltyis $25,000.

• MORE CALGARY NEWS|Cyclist injured by barbed wire strung across West Bragg Creek, Alta., trail
• MORE CALGARY NEWS|Four-legged rodeo stars keeping their cool during Stampede heat wave