Several grizzlies may have killed mother, daughter in Canada

More than one grizzly may have been involved in a bear attack that left a mother and her daughter dead in Bella Coola, British Columbia, officials said. The first set of remains was discovered on Sunday, and a second body was found Tuesday afternoon during a search by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and conservation officers. Inspector Jeff Tyre said in a video message that it is "not yet clear if more than one bear was involved," and any bears captured in the area will be assessed.

The victims were identified as art therapist Jenny Balcarras and her 20‑year‑old daughter Selah Reed, who were reported missing on Sunday. Balcarras’ brother, Matthew Balcarras, described his sister as "incredibly strong" and added, "She was a beautiful artist and was an inspiration for me and my brothers." A fundraiser set up by relative Mary Melissa Smith noted that Balcarras leaves behind three adult children, a grandson and a grandchild, while Reed had "her whole life ahead of her."

Authorities have imposed a curfew on the community, about 1,000 kilometres north of Vancouver, as the hunt for the offending bear continues. Tyre said that if the bear is captured it will be killed to protect public safety. The attack follows a grizzly incident last November in the same area that injured one adult and three children from a group of 20 elementary school students and teachers; that animal was never captured.

Kim Titchener, founder of Bear Safety & More Inc., said she was "concerned when she saw reports about the women on Facebook hiking groups." She recalled, "When I saw that they were missing and in the area that they were missing, my heart just dropped because I just kind of knew this could be a bear attack." Titchener added that the region has "suffered so much last year" and warned that "concerning pressures" on bear populations from habitat loss, food stress, drought and climate change are increasing human‑wildlife conflicts. "I don’t know if Bella Coola suffered from any drought issues, but certainly other parts of the province of B.C. did," she said.

Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal