The BC Conservation Officer Service says one grizzly bear has been captured and will undergo DNA testing to determine whether it was involved in the fatal attack earlier this week in Bella Coola.
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The BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) says it has captured one grizzly bear as officers work to determine whether it is connected to a fatal attack that killed a mother and daughter in Bella Coola earlier this week.
BCCOS said one person’s remains were found in the Snooka West Trail area on Monday, and the second person’s remains were found Tuesday afternoon.
The victims were identified through a GoFundMe page as Jenny Balcarras and her daughter, Selah Reed.
In an update Friday evening, BCCOS said the captured bear will be safely cared for while forensic DNA matching and other tools are used to determine if it was involved in the attack.
The service also said that any bears determined to have been involved will be killed to protect public safety, while unrelated bears will be released.
BCCOS said it is continuing to monitor bear activity in the area and urged the public to avoid the West Snooka Trail area.
Authorities said they do not know if more than one bear was involved in the attack.
BCCOS added that it also has forensic and other evidence related to a 2025 bear attack in the same area in which a group of schoolchildren and teachers were attacked, leaving 11 people injured.
Conservation officers remain on the ground in Bella Coola as trapping efforts continue.
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