Mother and daughter die after suspected grizzly bear attack in Canada

A mother and daughter have died after a suspected grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola in the Canadian province of British Columbia, with conservation officers working to locate any bears involved.

Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter Selah Reed, 20, were reported missing on 1 November after failing to return from what their family described as a short afternoon walk. Their remains were found on successive days during a search involving conservation officers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The BC Conservation Officer Service said evidence in the trail area where they were found “suggested an animal may have been involved”. Investigators have not established whether one bear or more may have been involved in the deaths.

Search for bears continues

Balcarras’ remains were discovered on Monday, 2 November, and Reed’s were found on Tuesday, 3 November.

Conservation service inspector Jeff Tyre said officers were working to locate and capture bears potentially connected to the incident. Any captured animal would be assessed to determine whether it had been involved.

If a bear was found to have been involved in the attack, Tyre said, “it will be dispatched in accordance with provincial human-wildlife conflict response guidelines to protect public safety”. That decision would therefore depend on the assessment, rather than apply automatically to every bear captured.

The suspected involvement of a grizzly bear remains under investigation. Officials have not confirmed the circumstances of the encounter.

Family remembers a close bond

Balcarras’ brother, Josh Balcarras, described the mother and daughter as “two peas in a pod” who shared many hobbies and “got along really, really well”, in comments to CBC reported by the BBC.

Balcarras had recently moved to Bella Coola to pursue a new career and begin a new chapter in her life, according to an online fundraiser established to help the family with funeral costs.

Their outing was intended to be a brief afternoon walk, rather than an extended trip into the wilderness, according to the family’s account.

Warning to avoid the trail area

Authorities have urged residents and visitors to stay away from the Snooka West Trail area while conservation officers continue their work, International Business Times reported. The trail was identified in that report as the location of the women’s walk.

The deaths follow another serious bear encounter in the Bella Coola area. In November 2025, a bear attacked a school group, injuring 11 people.

British Columbia’s provincial environment authorities estimate that between 10,000 and 13,000 grizzly bears live in the province. Provincial guidance describes conflicts between bears and people as relatively rare, but says they can occur when animals are startled or are protecting cubs or food.

The current investigation remains focused on establishing what happened and locating any bears involved.