Four grizzly bears were killed in western Canada after DNA analysis linked them to the deaths of a mother and her daughter this month.
The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service confirmed Tuesday that a female grizzly and her three yearling cubs were responsible for the fatal attack near Bella Coola. Investigators determined the incident likely involved predatory behavior, a rarity in grizzly encounters.
The victims have been identified as 48-year-old Jenny Balcarras and her 20-year-old daughter, Selah Reed. Authorities found the women’s remains approximately 150 meters apart near a hiking trail outside the remote community, which sits about 1,000 kilometers north of Vancouver.
Searchers located Balcarras’ remains first before discovering Reed’s body inside a bear cache, a location where bears store food. Josh, the brother of Balcarras, told CBC that the two women were “two peas in a pod” who “got along really, really well” and shared many interests. He said that “when Jenny hiked, Selah was right there beside her.”
Inspector Jeff Tyre of the BC Conservation Officer Service explained that the bears were euthanized to protect the public. He said that animals involved in fatal human attacks cannot be relocated or rehabilitated because they represent an extreme risk to public safety.
Our investigation also found that this attack likely involved predatory behavior, which I can tell you is very rare. That is to say, we don’t know how it started, but we know how it ended.
Inspector Jeff Tyre, via CBS News
DNA testing played a central role in the investigation, conclusively linking the sow and her three offspring to the scene. Tyre said the bears were not involved in a separate grizzly attack last November on a group of about 20 elementary school students and teachers in the same area, where 11 people were injured, including two critically.
The investigation into the current deaths involved more than a dozen conservation officers working over the course of a week through “difficult terrain and weather,” according to Tyre.
This attack has been deeply re-triggering for our community members as we continue to recover from last year’s attack. Our thoughts remain with the victims’ families.
Tlhmtimut Samuel Schooner, Elected Chief of the Nuxalk Nation, via BBC News
Schooner said that community support services will remain available for as long as they are needed.
According to the province’s Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, there are an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 grizzly bears living in British Columbia. The species is currently classified as vulnerable. While the ministry describes conflicts between humans and grizzlies as relatively rare, such incidents can occur if animals are startled or are defending food or cubs.
The recent deaths of Balcarras and Reed follow other notable encounters in the province, such as a July 2023 incident near Tumbler Ridge where a 21-year-old woman was seriously injured in what authorities described as a “defensive attack.”
Regarding the recent investigation, Inspector Tyre expressed hope that the findings would provide some resolution for those affected.
This was a heartbreaking event for the families, the Nuxalk Nation and the Bella Coola community. We hope the efforts of everyone who responded, along with these findings, bring some measure of closure.
Inspector Jeff Tyre, via CBS News
Earlier coverage: Mother and Daughter Killed in Tragic Grizzly Bear Attack Near Bella Coola, B.C.
