Four Grizzly Bears Destroyed After Fatal Attack on Mother and Daughter in British Columbia
Four grizzly bears have been destroyed in British Columbia, Canada, after forensic testing and animal DNA analysis linked them to a fatal attack on a mother and daughter, according to the BBC. The animals were a sow and her three cubs.
The victims were Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20. Both died earlier in November after an afternoon walk on a trail in the Bella Coola area.
The four bears were destroyed in line with provincial guidelines for responding to human-wildlife conflict, which are intended to protect the public.
Inspector Jeff Tyre of the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) said the attack likely involved predatory behaviour, which he described as very rare. Predatory attacks, in which a bear treats a person as prey, are distinct from defensive encounters in which a bear reacts to a surprise or a threat to its cubs.
The region has seen another serious bear attack. In November 2025, a bear attacked a school group in the Bella Coola area, injuring 11 people, two of them critically. That bear was never found. DNA testing confirmed that the four bears destroyed this month were not involved in the 2025 attack.
