DNA Links Four Grizzly Bears to Deadly Attack on Mother and Daughter in Canada

Canadian wildlife officials say four grizzly bears captured in western Canada were responsible for killing a mother and her adult daughter earlier this month, in what investigators believe was a rare predatory attack ^[2].

DNA testing linked the four bears to the deaths of Jenny Balcarras and her daughter, Selah Reed, CBS News reported, and all four bears were killed to protect the public ^[3]. The New York Post reported that DNA tied a female grizzly and three cubs to the attack in British Columbia ^[5]. ABC News also reported the DNA findings ^[1].

A difficult search

The search for the two women was not simple. CBS News reported that finding their remains was delayed by difficult terrain and by the bears' behavior ^[4]. Search teams working in thick forest and steep country had to protect themselves while they looked, because the animals responsible were still in the area.

Why investigators call it rare

Grizzly attacks on people are uncommon, and most happen when a bear is surprised at close range or is defending its cubs or a food source. A predatory attack, in which a bear treats a person as prey, is far rarer. An attack involving several bears is rarer still. That is why investigators described this one as unusual ^[2]. A mother grizzly teaching grown cubs to hunt may explain why several animals were involved, but officials have not said what triggered the attack.

Bears in the news south of the border

The tragedy comes as Americans debate how to manage grizzlies at home. More than 80 grizzly bears have died in the Greater Yellowstone region this year, the third straight year of record mortality, the Western Standard reported, as conservation groups challenge the Trump administration's plans to loosen federal protections for the species ^[6]. Ranchers and hunters in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho have long argued that growing bear numbers put people and livestock at risk and that states should manage the animals. Conservation groups argue the population is still too fragile. This attack will be part of that debate.

Staying safe in bear country

For anyone who hikes, hunts or camps in bear country, the basics save lives:

• Travel in groups and make noise on the trail, especially near streams and thick brush.
• Carry bear spray where you can reach it in a second, and know how to use it.
• Store food, trash and anything with a scent away from where you sleep.
• Give bears a wide berth, and never get between a mother and her cubs.
• Leave if you see signs of a fresh kill or a carcass nearby.

Remembering them

Behind this story are two women who loved the outdoors and a family now grieving both of them at once. Our prayers are with the family of Jenny Balcarras and Selah Reed, and with the searchers who brought them home.