BELLA COOLA, British Columbia — Authorities in western Canada have confirmed the deaths of a mother and her adult daughter following a suspected grizzly bear attack along a trail in coastal British Columbia.
The victims have been identified by family members as Jennifer “Jenny” Balcarras, 48, and her youngest daughter, Selah Reed, 20. The pair had reportedly set out over the weekend for what was expected to be a routine walk along the Snooka West Trail, located just minutes from their home in the Bella Coola Valley.
When the women failed to return, relatives alerted local authorities on Sunday. Search and rescue personnel, along with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS), launched an intensive ground search. The remains of one victim were located Monday, and the second victim was found nearby on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, evidence from the scene indicates a fatal encounter involving at least one grizzly bear. Conservation officers have deployed traps and are actively tracking wildlife in the area to locate any animals involved. In line with provincial human-wildlife conflict guidelines, any bear confirmed to have taken part in the attack will be captured and humanely euthanized to protect public safety. Officials have asked the public to avoid the Snooka West Trail area while investigations and field operations remain active.
Loved ones remembered Balcarras, an art therapist who recently relocated to Bella Coola, as a dedicated mother of four and an active artist. Reed was pursuing university studies online while working as an education assistant, sharing her mother’s passion for art, ballet, and the outdoors.
While British Columbia is home to an estimated 15,000 grizzly bears, fatal encounters remain exceptionally rare, with only a handful of lethal incidents documented in the province over the past decade. The tight-knit community of Bella Coola has implemented local safety patrols and night advisories as wildlife officers continue monitoring the valley.
