DNA Links Four Grizzly Bears to Fatal Attack on Mother and Daughter in Canada

Four grizzly bears captured in western Canada have been confirmed as responsible for the deaths of a mother and her adult daughter earlier this month in what investigators describe as a rare predatory attack, wildlife officials announced Tuesday.

DNA tests conclusively linked a female grizzly and her three yearling cubs to the deaths of Jenny Balcarras, 48, and her 20-year-old daughter, Selah Reed, according to the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service. All four bears were euthanized to protect public safety.

"Our investigation also found that this attack likely involved predatory behavior, which I can tell you is very rare," Inspector Jeff Tyre said during an online briefing. "That is to say, we don't know how it started, but we know how it ended."

The women's remains were discovered approximately 1,490 feet apart near a trail outside Bella Coola, a remote community about 620 miles north of Vancouver. Family members raised the alarm after Reed missed a routine Saturday night call with her sister. Searchers first found her mother's remains, then discovered Reed's remains in a bear cache, where bears store food.

Tyre noted that the bears were not involved in a separate grizzly attack last November on a group of about 20 elementary school students and teachers in the same area, which left 11 people injured, including two critically.

The latest killings have shaken the Nuxalk Nation community, which is still recovering from last year's attack. Local authorities imposed a voluntary curfew, and police escorted children to school. "This attack has been deeply re-triggering for our community members as we continue to recover from last year's attack," said Tlhmtimut Samuel Schooner, the Nuxalk Nation's elected chief councilor. He added that community support services would remain available as long as needed.