DNA evidence has tied four grizzly bears to the fatal attack that killed a mother and daughter in British Columbia, leading Canadian wildlife officials to euthanize all four animals, authorities said Tuesday.
The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service said forensic testing definitively connected an adult female grizzly and her three offspring to the deaths of Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20, near Bella Coola.
The bears were captured over the weekend and killed under provincial guidelines for responding to human-wildlife conflicts, the agency said in a Nov. 10 statement. Officials said the action was taken to protect public safety.
An image of Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20, who were killed in a grizzly bear attack. (Facebook/Josh Kara Balcarras)
Investigators concluded that the attack likely involved predatory behavior, but officials did not provide additional details about how the encounter occurred.
“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,” Insp. Jeff Tyre said during a news briefing.
More than a dozen conservation officers took part in the response. They helped recover the victims, gather evidence and track down the bears while navigating challenging terrain and weather.
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FILE – A grizzly bear in Jasper National Park, Canada. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Balcarras, an art therapist, and Reed disappeared after setting out for a walk on the Snooka West Trail near their home.
Relatives contacted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police after Balcarras failed to attend a scheduled online meeting. Investigators later found her vehicle at the trailhead. Her body was recovered Nov. 2, followed by Reed’s body on Nov. 3.
The agency also said DNA testing ruled out the four bears in connection with a separate 2025 grizzly attack on a school group near Bella Coola that injured 11 people, including students and teachers.
The investigation is complete, although officials said additional analysis will review the response and the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police crest photographed April 10, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
