Mother and daughter were found mauled and deceased in the Canadian wilderness, then DNA testing revealed the four animals responsible for the attack

A Canadian mother and daughter who went missing during a walk in the wilderness were found dead after a suspected grizzly bear attack. Now, DNA testing has revealed that four bears, including a mother and her three cubs, were linked to the fatal incident, prompting wildlife officials to kill all four animals, according to People.

Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter, Selah Reed, 20, were reported missing on Sunday, November 1, after failing to return from a walk in Bella Coola, a remote community in British Columbia, Canada. The area is approximately 620 miles northwest of Vancouver.

The British Columbia Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) investigators initially suspected that multiple grizzly bears had been involved in the attack. Authorities subsequently worked to locate the animals and collect forensic evidence to establish what had happened.

There were four grizzly bears

On Tuesday, November 10, the BCCOS confirmed that DNA testing had linked a female grizzly bear and her three cubs to the deaths of Jennifer and Selah. Officials said all four animals had been killed to protect the public, following established human-wildlife conflict response guidelines.

Inspector Jeff Tyre explained during an online briefing that investigators believed the incident involved predatory behavior, something he described as extremely rare. “Our investigation also found that this attack likely involved predatory behavior, which I can tell you is very rare,” Tyre said. “That is to say, we don’t know how it started, but we know how it ended.”

The investigation into the attack has now concluded, although authorities plan to conduct further analysis of the response and the circumstances surrounding the incident. The tragedy has also raised concerns about wildlife safety in the area, particularly given the possibility of encountering grizzly bears while walking through remote parts of British Columbia.

Although grizzly bear attacks can be devastating, fatal encounters remain uncommon. Parks Canada recorded just 11 human fatalities caused by bears in its national parks between 1900 and 2024, including 10 attributed to grizzlies.

Experts say encounters can become dangerous when hikers unexpectedly come across bears, particularly mothers protecting their cubs. Staying on designated trails, making noise while hiking, and carrying bear spray are among the recommended precautions for people exploring bear territory.

While grizzly bears are an important part of British Columbia’s ecosystem, animals linked to fatal attacks can pose an ongoing public safety concern. In this case, authorities followed the official Grizzly Bear Family Unit Conflict Response Guidelines, which explain that bears “that have attacked, injured, killed, or fed on a human” may be euthanized when an investigation determines they pose a serious public safety risk.