Mother and daughter die after suspected grizzly bear attack in Canada
The remains of Jennifer Balcarras and Selah Reed were discovered in a Bella Coola trail area following their disappearance on 1 November.
A mother and daughter have died following a suspected grizzly bear attack in the British Columbia province of Canada, according to BBC News. The victims, identified as Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter Selah Reed, 20, were reported missing on 1 November after they did not return from an afternoon walk.
The BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) stated that evidence at the scene in Bella Coola suggested an animal may have been involved. Balcarras' remains were located on Monday and Reed's were found on Tuesday during search operations by the BCCOS and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
BCCOS inspector Jeff Tyre said it is not yet clear if more than one animal was potentially involved in the deaths. He added that if a captured bear is found to have been involved, it will be dispatched following provincial human-wildlife conflict response guidelines to protect public safety.
The Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks classifies grizzly bears as vulnerable, with an estimated 10,000 to 13,000 living in the province. While the ministry describes human-bear conflicts as relatively rare, the BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) has noted that reports of such conflicts have risen since a 2017 ban on sport hunting for grizzly bears.