DNA Evidence Ties Four Grizzlies to Fatal Attack That Killed Mother and Daughter in British Columbia

Four grizzly bears have been identified through DNA evidence in connection with a fatal attack on a mother and daughter in British Columbia, leading Canadian wildlife officers to euthanize all four animals, officials announced Tuesday.

The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service said forensic testing conclusively linked an adult female grizzly and her three cubs to the deaths of Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20, near Bella Coola.

The bears were captured over the weekend and destroyed in line with provincial human-wildlife conflict response protocols intended to safeguard public safety, according to a Nov. 10 statement from the agency.

BODY OF MISSING HIKER DISCOVERED OFF TRAIL AS INVESTIGATORS PROBE RARE DEADLY BEAR ENCOUNTER

An image showing a photo of Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her 20-year-old daughter Selah Reed, who were killed in a grizzly bear attack. (Facebook/Josh Kara Balcarras)

Investigators concluded that the encounter most likely involved predatory behavior, though officials declined to detail how the attack unfolded.

“This was a heartbreaking event for the families, the Nuxalk Nation and the Bella Coola community. We hope the efforts of everyone who responded, along with these findings, bring some measure of closure,” said Insp. Jeff Tyre in a news briefing.

More than a dozen conservation officers took part in the response, assisting in the recovery of the victims, the collection of evidence and the search for the bears amid challenging terrain and weather.

GRIZZLY BEAR MAULS HIKER, DRAGS HIM DOZENS OF FEET ON GLACIER NATIONAL PARK TRAIL

FILE – Grizzly bear in Jasper National Park, Canada. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Balcarras, an art therapist, and Reed went missing after setting out on a walk along the Snooka West Trail near their home.

Family members alerted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police after Balcarras failed to attend a scheduled online meeting. Investigators located her vehicle at the trailhead before recovering her body on Nov. 2 and Reed’s body on Nov. 3.

The agency said DNA testing also confirmed that the four bears were not responsible for a separate 2025 grizzly attack on a school group near Bella Coola that injured 11 people, among them students and teachers.

The investigation has concluded, though officials said additional analysis will review the response and the circumstances surrounding the attack.

EDMONTON, CANADA – APRIL 10: Royal Canadian Mounted Police board, on April 10, 2024, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The conservation service noted that fatal grizzly attacks involving predatory behavior are uncommon and urged those traveling in bear country to keep pets leashed, move in groups and learn how to lower the risk of wildlife encounters.

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