Canada kills four grizzly bears linked to mother, daughter deaths

Bear | Credit: Greek City Times

Four grizzly bears have been killed in Canada’s British Columbia province after DNA tests confirmed they were responsible for an attack that claimed the lives of a mother and her daughter.

The victims, Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20, died earlier this month after going for an afternoon walk in a trail area in Bella Coola.

The development followed an investigation by the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service, which initially suspected an animal attack after the women were reported missing on November 1.

According to an earlier BBC report, the family said the pair failed to return from what was supposed to be a short afternoon walk.

Their remains were subsequently discovered during search operations involving conservation officers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Balcarras’ remains were found on Monday, while her daughter’s were recovered on Tuesday.

The conservation service later confirmed through forensic testing and animal DNA analysis that a female grizzly bear, known as a sow, and her three cubs were responsible.

In an update on Tuesday, BCCOS Inspector Jeff Tyre said the four animals had been destroyed in accordance with provincial human-wildlife conflict response guidelines to protect public safety.

He said the attack likely involved predatory behaviour, describing such incidents as very rare.

Tyre added that more than a dozen conservation officers participated in the investigation over the past week despite difficult terrain and weather conditions.

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The victims’ family described the mother and daughter as extremely close, with Balcarras’ brother, Josh, telling CBC that they were “two peas in a pod” who shared many hobbies.

“When Jenny hiked, Selah was right there beside her,” he said.

The conservation service also confirmed that DNA testing ruled out the possibility that the four bears were responsible for a separate attack on a school group in the Bella Coola area in November 2025.

That incident left 11 people injured, including two who sustained critical injuries. The bear responsible was never found.

Reacting to the latest development, the elected Chief of the Nuxalk Nation, Samuel Schooner, said the fatal attack had reopened painful memories for community members still recovering from last year’s incident.

He thanked conservation officers for their efforts in resolving the case and expressed sympathy for the victims’ relatives.

Grizzly bears are listed as a species of special concern under Canadian federal legislation.

Between 10,000 and 13,000 are estimated to live in British Columbia, where the provincial government classifies them as vulnerable.

The British Columbia Wildlife Federation has previously raised concerns about increasing human-grizzly bear conflicts following the province’s 2017 ban on sport hunting of the animals.