Four grizzly bears have been put down after investigators linked them to the deaths of a mother and her adult daughter in western Canada.
According to the BC Conservation Officer Service, authorities conducted a DNA test that confirmed a female grizzly bear and her three one-year-old cubs were responsible for the deaths of Jenny Balcarras, 48, and her 20-year-old daughter, Selah Reed.
The four bears were killed to protect the public.
“Our investigation also revealed that this attack likely involved predatory behavior, which I can tell you is very rare,” Inspector Jeff Tire said during an online press briefing.
“That is, 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 near the town of Bella Coola, an isolated 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 authorities when Reed missed his usual Saturday evening call with his sister.
Although DNA linked the bear and her 1-year-old cubs to the deaths of Reed and Balcarras, investigators also ruled out the bears’ involvement in another grizzly bear attack last November in the same area.
Nuxalk Indigenous Nation still affected by last year’s attack
Last year’s attack saw a bear charge a group of around 20 pupils and teachers at a primary school, injuring four of them.
The group was from Acwsalcta School, run by the Nuxalk Indigenous Nation. Commenting on the latest attack, the elected chief councilor of the Nuxalk Nation said his community was still recovering from last year’s incident.
“This attack was deeply re-triggering for members of our community,” said Tlhmtimut Samuel Schooner.
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