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Four grizzly bears killed in Canada after fatal attack on mum and daughter

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In short

Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter Selah Reed, 20, were killed during an afternoon walk on a Bella Coola trail earlier this month. More than a dozen conservation officers deployed across challenging weather and terrain to investigate the site and track the animals. British Columbia Conservation Office Service Inspector Jeff Tyre stated that predatory behavior likely motivated the rare attack. Subsequent testing confirmed these bears were not involved in an earlier unlinked encounter that injured 11 people in November 2025.

Key points

  • Provincial authorities destroyed the four grizzly bears in accordance with established hu…: Provincial authorities destroyed the four grizzly bears in accordance with established human-wildlife conflict guidelines to safeguard the public.
  • Conservation officials characterized the fatal incident as an extremely rare example of p…: Conservation officials characterized the fatal incident as an extremely rare example of predatory bear behavior.
  • Forensic testing proved the euthanized bears were not linked to a November 2025 attack th…: Forensic testing proved the euthanized bears were not linked to a November 2025 attack that injured 11 people.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

- Published

Four grizzly bears have been killed in connection with a fatal attack on a mother and daughter in the Canadian province of British Columbia.

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

The British Columbia Conservation Office Service (BCCOS) launched an investigation into their deaths and forensic testing has since confirmed a sow and her three cubs were responsible for the attack.

All four were destroyed "in accordance with provincial human-wildlife conflict response guidelines" to protect the public, BCCOS Inspector Jeff Tyre said in an update on Tuesday.

Mother and daughter die after suspected grizzly bear attack in Canada

- Published6 days ago

"Evidence from the investigation as well as animal DNA was analysed and conclusively linked to a sow and its three offspring," he added.

The attack "likely involved predatory behaviour", which Tyre said was "very rare".

He added that more than a dozen conservation officers took part in the investigation over the past week, amid "difficult terrain and…

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