Canada: A mother and her 20-year-old daughter were devoured by four grizzly bears during a hike; the animals were shot dead.

A hike turned tragic in western Canada. Jenny Balcarras, 48, and her daughter Selah Reed, 20, were killed by four grizzly bears while hiking near Bella Coola, British Columbia . After several days of searching, Canadian authorities confirmed that the culprits were a mother bear and her three cubs. All four animals were shot and killed. Investigators described the attack as exhibiting extremely rare predatory behavior.

The two women disappeared during a hike

On Saturday, October 31, Jenny Balcarras and her daughter Selah Reed went for a walk on the Snooka West trail, near their home. The two women, experienced outdoor enthusiasts, never returned. The alarm was raised after Selah missed a routine phone call with her sister.

The search led to the discovery of the mother's body on Monday, November 2nd. The following day, rescuers found her daughter's body approximately 150 meters away. The young woman's remains were located in a cache used by bears to store their food.

Jenny Balcarras, a mother of four and grandmother, had recently moved to the area to start a new career. She worked as an art therapist. Her daughter, Selah, only 20 years old, was a teaching assistant. Passionate about nature, art, and hiking, the two women were particularly close.

A mother bear and her three cubs identified through DNA testing

Wildlife officers immediately launched an operation to find the animals involved. More than a dozen officers participated in the search in a wooded area with difficult terrain.

Four grizzly bears were eventually captured: an adult female and her three cubs, each about a year old. Genetic analysis of evidence collected at the scene confirmed their involvement in the deaths of the two women.

On Tuesday, Inspector Jeff Tyre, head of the British Columbia Wildlife Service, confirmed the findings of the investigation. He explained: "Our investigation also revealed that this attack likely involved predatory behavior, which is very rare."

The official also acknowledged that the exact circumstances of the start of the attack remained unknown: "We don't know how it started, but we know how it ended."

The four grizzly bears were killed to protect the population

Authorities decided to euthanize the mother bear and her three cubs after confirming their involvement in the tragedy. According to Canadian wildlife officials, animals responsible for fatal attacks on humans pose too great a danger to be released.

Jeff Tyre stated that these bears could not be rehabilitated or relocated to another area. Their behavior posed an extreme risk to public safety.

Investigators are focusing on the theory of predatory behavior, but have not yet determined whether the two women were chased by the animals or if the encounter began defensively. The precise circumstances of the attack therefore remain unknown.

A year earlier, a grizzly bear had already attacked schoolchildren

The tragedy has reopened a still-recent wound in Bella Coola. In November 2025, a grizzly bear attacked a group of about twenty students and teachers on a school trip in the same area. Eleven people were injured, some seriously.

However, genetic analyses have established that the four bears shot this week were not responsible for the previous attack.

After the disappearance of the two women, local authorities had instituted a voluntary curfew and organized police escorts to accompany children to school.

Samuel Schooner, elected leader of the Nuxalk First Nation, emphasized the profound emotion caused by these latest deaths. "This attack has deeply reopened old wounds for members of our community, as we are still trying to recover from last year's attack."

Authorities have announced the end of the investigation into the identification of the animals. The capture devices have been removed, while support measures remain in place for residents and the families of the victims.

A fundraiser was also organized to finance the funerals of Jenny Balcarras and Selah Reed and to support the three other children of the mother of three.