A forensic DNA lab director says investigators in Bella Coola are likely to use sampling and DNA comparisons similar to those used in human crime-scene cases.
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A forensic DNA expert says investigators assessing the scene of this week’s deadly bear attack in Bella Coola will likely use techniques to identify the culprit animal that are very similar to methods used at human crime scenes.
Dean Hildebrand, who oversees the accredited forensic DNA lab at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, said the main practical difference is that animal scene investigators do not need to worry about cross-contaminating bear samples with their own DNA.
Hildebrand, who said he is not involved in the Bella Coola investigation, said investigators would collect samples such as saliva, blood or hair to be tested in a forensic lab, where the DNA sequence would then be compared to DNA from any bears captured.
The BC Conservation Officer Service continues its search for a bear or bears it says killed a mother and daughter in Bella Coola. School art therapist Jenny Balcarras and her adult daughter, Selah Reed, were reported missing on Sunday, and their bodies were later found near a set of trials.
The Conservation Officer Service has previously said DNA from the attack would be compared to samples collected in the same area last year after a grizzly bear attacked a group of about 20 elementary school students and teachers, leaving an adult and three children badly injured.
In its latest social media update on Wednesday, the Conservation Officer Service said no bears had yet been captured, adding that various trapping techniques were being implemented as efforts continue, with officers rotated into the community.
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