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Four grizzly bears were eliminated after investigators linked them to the deaths of a mother and her adult daughter in western Canada.
According to the British Columbia Conservation Officer Service, the authorities conducted a DNA test which confirmed a female grizzly and her three yearling cubs were responsible for the deaths of Jenny Balcarras, 48, and her 20-year-old daughter, Selah Reed.
All four bears were killed to protect the public.
“Our investigation also found that this attack likely involved predatory behavior, which I can tell you is very rare,” Inspector Jeff Tyre told an online briefing.
“That is to say, we don’t know how it started, but we know how it ended.”
What do we know about the bear attack?
Balcarras and Reed had gone for a walk near their home close to the town of Bella Coola, a remote community about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) north of Vancouver.
Their remains were found about 150 meters (490 feet) apart near a walking trail.
The family alerted the authorities when Reed missed her usual Saturday night call with her sister.
While the DNA linked the female bear and her yearling cubs to the deaths of Reed and Balcarras, investigators have also ruled out the bears’ involvement in a separate grizzly attack last November in the same area.
Indigenous Nuxalk Nation still affected by last year’s attack
The last year’s attack saw a bear charge a group of about 20 elementary school students and teachers, leaving four of them injured.
The group was from the Acwsalcta School, run by the Indigenous Nuxalk Nation. Commenting on the latest attack, Nuxalk Nation’s elected chief councilor said his community were still recovering from the last year’s incident.
“This attack has been deeply re-triggering for our community members,” said Tlhmtimut Samuel Schooner.
