Mother and Daughter Killed in Suspected Grizzly Bear Attack in Western Canada

A mother and daughter were found dead near a hiking trail in British Columbia, Canada, following what authorities suspect was a fatal grizzly bear attack. Relatives reported the two women missing over the weekend after they went walking near their home close to Bella Coola.

Discovery And Investigation

Search teams located the body of the mother first on Monday near the Snooka West trail area, about eight kilometres east of Bella Coola, and discovered the body of her 20-year-old daughter a day later. The victims were identified by family members as Jenny Balcarras, an art therapist who had recently moved to the area, and her daughter Selah Reed. According to The Guardian, family members noted that Balcarras had moved to the community of roughly 2,100 people for a new job and to start a new chapter, leaving behind three adult children and a grandchild. Inspector Jeff Tyre of the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service stated in a video online that officials are probing the possibility that more than one bear was involved in the fatal incident. Authorities added that any bear found to be involved will be dispatched, while urging the public to stay out of the area due to ongoing danger.

Context

Grizzly bears can be aggressive at this time of year as they build up fat reserves before winter hibernation. While grizzly attacks in the province are rare, the community previously experienced a bear incident last November when 11 people were injured by a grizzly near a local Nuxalk community.