Mother grizzly and her 3 cubs killed a woman and her daughter in Canada, DNA confirms: “Predatory behavior”

Four grizzly bears captured in western Canada are responsible for killing a mother and her adult daughter this month in what investigators believe was a rare predatory attack, wildlife officials said Tuesday.

DNA testing has conclusively linked a female grizzly bear and her three one-year-old cubs to the deaths of Jenny Balcarras, 48, and her 20-year-old daughter, Selah Reed, the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service said. The four bears were killed to protect the public.

“Our investigation also revealed that this attack likely involved predatory behavior, which I can tell you is very rare,” Inspector Jeff Tire said during an online press briefing.

“That is, we don’t know how it started, but we know how it ended.”

THE remains of women were found about 150 meters (490 feet) apart, near a trail outside Bella Coola, an isolated community about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) north of Vancouver.

Family members raised the alarm after Reed missed a routine Saturday evening call with his sister. Researchers first found his mother’s remains, then Reed’s, in a bear cache, where bears store food.

Tire said the bears were not involved in a separate grizzly bear attack last November on a group of around twenty primary school students and teachers from the same district. Eleven people were injured, two of them seriously.

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 profoundly re-triggering for members of our community as we continue to recover from last year’s attack,” said Tlhmtimut Samuel Schooner, the elected chief councilor of the Nuxalk Nation.

He said community support services would remain available for as long as needed.

Tire said bears involved in fatal attacks cannot be rehabilitated or relocated because they pose an extreme risk to public safety.

“This was a heartbreaking event for the families, the Nuxalk Nation and the Bella Coola community. We hope that the efforts of all those who responded, along with these findings, provide closure,” Tire said.

Other bear attacks in British Columbia

There are an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 grizzly bears living in British Columbia, according to the province’s Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks. The species is classified as vulnerable. Conflicts between grizzly bears and humans are considered “relatively rare,” the ministry said, unless the animals are frightened or protective of their young or food. However, several grizzly bear attacks have occurred in the province in recent years.

In October 2025, a a grizzly bear injured two hikers in the McGregor Mountains region of British Columbia, northeast of Prince George. One of the hikers was taken to hospital in critical condition and died a few weeks later from his injuries. The grizzly bear was later found dead, according to the BC Conservation Officer Service.

A man suffered “serious injuries”, including broken bones and lacerations, after being attacked by a grizzly bear while hunting in the Elkford, British Columbia area in May 2024. He was able to shoot the bear in self-defense. The animal was later found dead. The man was flown to an area hospital for treatment.

A A 21-year-old woman was seriously injured by a grizzly bear near Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, in July 2023. Authorities described the incident as a “defensive attack.” The victim was transported by helicopter to an area hospital.