Canadaupdated 29m ago2 min read
MapBritish Columbia Authorities Investigate Suspected Grizzly Bear Attack That Killed Jenny Balcarras And Selah Reed
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Bodies of Jennifer Balcarras and Selah Reed were found near Bella Coola, BC. Authorities investigating suspected grizzly bear attack; multiple bears may be involved.
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Bodies Found in Bella Coola
British Columbia authorities investigated a suspected bear attack after they found the bodies of Jenny Balcarras and her 20-year-old daughter Selah Reed near Bella Coola, and the search began after family members reported their disappearance on Sunday. The authorities said Jenny’s remains were found on Monday, November 2, in the Snowcase West Trail area, and they found Reed’s body on Tuesday, November 3, during search efforts that involved the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and conservation officers.
Inspector Jeff Tyre of the British Columbia Conservation Officers Service said evidence at the site “suggested that an animal could have been involved,” while he also said it was still unclear whether more than one bear participated. The investigation continued as environmental protection teams and police examined evidence and searched for the bear or bears that may have been involved, with trail closures and warnings to residents and visitors in place.
Multiple Bears, DNA Link
British Columbia conservation officers said they were working to determine whether it was the same animal that mauled a group of schoolchildren and teachers last year, and Inspector Jeff Tyre told reporters they had “the DNA from the last attack site.” Inspector Jeff Tyre said the investigation was “too early to draw any conclusions,” as conservation officers and RCMP continued night patrols and installed bear-capture equipment in the region.
The Central Coast region said its November 4 press release stated that the search for the two missing persons had ended with their discovery, while the investigation into the suspected attack and public safety concerns remained ongoing. The Nuxalk Nation issued a recommended 8 p.m. curfew and operated a shuttle service for 12 hours daily as safety measures, while residents and visitors were urged to avoid the trail area and respect the families’ privacy.
Capture and Possible Euthanasia
Authorities said they would evaluate any specimen captured in the area to determine its possible relation to the case, and Inspector Jeff Tyre said any bear identified as responsible would be euthanized to protect public safety. Inspector Jeff Tyre also said any captured bear, after being examined and verified as having attacked the mother and daughter, “will be sacrificed in accordance with provincial protocols for responding to human-wildlife conflicts.”
The case raised community safety concerns in Bella Coola, where the Nuxalk Nation recommended an 8 p.m. curfew and where authorities urged people to stay away from the Snowcase West Trail. The investigation also looked back to November 2025, when a bear attack in the same province injured 11 people, including a teacher and three children who were airlifted to hospitals, and authorities at the time could not identify or capture the responsible bear.