Mother and daughter die after suspected grizzly bear attack in Canada
Authorities in British Columbia say evidence suggests an animal may have been involved in the women's deaths.
Mother and daughter die after suspected grizzly bear attack in Canada
An estimated 10,000 to 13,000 grizzly bears live in British Columbia, according to a file image.
A mother and daughter have died following a suspected grizzly bear attack in the Canadian province of British Columbia, their family has said.
The women, identified as Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter Selah Reed, 20, were reported missing on 1 November after they failed to return from what was meant to be a brief afternoon walk, the family said.
Their bodies were discovered in a trail area in Bella Coola, according to the BC Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS), which said evidence at the scene "suggested an animal may have been involved".
Conservation officers are now trying to locate any bears involved.
Balcarras' remains were found on Monday and Reed's on Tuesday during search operations by conservation officers and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Jeff Tyre, an inspector with the BCCOS, said it was still unclear whether more than one bear may have been involved in the women's deaths.
He added that any bear captured would be evaluated and, if found to have been involved in the attack, "it will be dispatched in accordance with provincial human-wildlife conflict response guidelines to protect public safety".
Balcarras and Reed were "two peas in a pod" who "got along really, really well" and shared many hobbies, Balcarras' brother, Josh Balcarras, told CBC.
"When Jenny hiked, Selah was right there beside her," he said.
According to an online fundraiser set up to help the family with funeral expenses, Balcarras had recently relocated to Bella Coola to pursue a new career and start a new chapter in her life.
Grizzly bears are classified as a species of "special concern" under federal law and are an important part of the British Columbia landscape, according to
Between 10,000 and 13,000 grizzly bears are estimated to live in the province, according to the province's Ministry of Environment, Lands and Parks, which has classified them as vulnerable.
The ministry says conflicts between bears and humans are "relatively rare" unless the animals are startled or defending their cubs and food.
However, there have been several attacks in British Columbia in recent years.
A grizzly bear injured two hikers in the McGregor Mountain area in October 2025, one of whom later died from critical injuries. The bear was later found dead.
The following month, a bear attacked a school group - also in the Bella Coola area - injuring 11 people.
The BC Wildlife Federation (BCWF) has said reports of grizzly-human conflicts have increased since the province introduced a ban on hunting grizzly bears for sport in 2017.
"With no hunting pressure, grizzlies and humans will increasingly occupy the same spaces with inevitable consequences," the BCWF's executive director Jesse Zeman said at the time.