In Bella Coola, British Columbia, a tragic encounter has left a community divided and concerned.  The BC Conservation Officer Service is claiming multiple bears killed these two women; an unlikely scenario, unless this was a defensive mother and cubs. Bears do not hunt people, and certainly not in groups. 

But since the only the bones were found from the two women, in a bear food cache, the assumption is the bears are "man-eaters". But bears are scavengers and it is possible the bears scavenged the remains after a homicide.

Killing a mother and children to avenge the death of a mother and child is extremely ironic and insulting to the deceased, who wouldn't want their legacy to be bears killed.

Family members have identified the two victims of a suspected fatal grizzly bear attack near Bella Coola, B.C., as Jennifer Balcarras, 48, and her daughter Selah Reed, 20. 

Balcarras's remains were discovered Monday in the Snooka West Trail area, the conservation officer service said. In a later update, officers said the second victim in the case was located dead on Tuesday afternoon.  Please fundraise for the funeral.​  The Nuxalk Nation already held a memorial, and the police are giving children escorts to safely go to school.

Family reported them missing on Sunday after they didn't return from a walk on the trail — described as a roughly five-minute drive from their home — on Saturday afternoon.   

But, despite the tragedy of two hikers dying, there is no proof a bear killed them. Yet traps are set, and if the bear “responsible” is found, this bear will be shot.  We want the bear relocated, not killed.  This is hyperphagia time, and bears are getting ready to hibernate.    And it is a suspected bear attack. Not a proven one.​ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bella-coola-grizzly-attack-9.7407640  ​

Now the BCCOS are blaming multiple bears and claim any bear captured would be killed! ​

The Nuxalk Nation have a humane option. They are using shuttle buses and are picking fruit to reduce attractants. ​

The bear may be a mother.  I am absolutely mortified and disgusted that some people are using the death of the hiker and the missing hikers up in Bella Coola as a way of demonizing grizzly bears and fear mongering. I feel absolutely horrified and great sadness and offer my deepest condolences for the families that will be affected. I also feel that many of these trails especially after the incidents with the children the year before which a huge factor was caused by a severe low salmon stock return 90% less coming up the river which equals desperate bears and bears that are starving during . This is the most dangerous time to be in the woods especially in Grizzly country near the rivers. People need to take a very hard look at the decisions to be made and look at all the factors against them and ask themselves if the risk is worth the rewards of going for a hike in the forest during hypophagia especially with grizzly bears that are not just hungry but facing severe foods shortages needs to be looked at very closely people need to start really thinking through hiking Up In the backwoods this time of year. I have friends who are guides they don't guide this time of year because the risk is not worth the rewards. Climate change has been hard on all wildlife and we need to learn to adjust there is no blame here perhaps poor decisions or decisions that maybe should be governed by our provincial governments from here on out when it comes to going into the Backwoods especially during this season when all bears are desperate for food. 

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There's nothing worse than hearing about these incidents and it makes everybody cringe but to demonize and start fear-mongering about bears because of poor decisions of people the bear didn't make a decision to be in the forest people did and they knew there was a high risk. Again my deepest condolences I can't imagine what the families are going through but my heart is with them. Let's hope that after last year and now this incident there will be tougher restrictions on these trails and more education out to the people thinking of taking hikes during this time of year.

Tragic loss of life  — and no reason to lift trophy hunt ban.
🟥In late October and November, grizzlies enter hyperphagia—an urgent, biological drive to consume up to 20,000 to 30,000 calories a day to survive winter hibernation. When salmon runs are low or berry crops fail, as is the case, they will turn to every possible calorie source for survival!, bringing them into closer proximity to trails and valley bottoms where humans travel.

Deep-woods trail systems like Snooka West cut directly through prime grizzly foraging terrain. When humans use these trails at dusk, dawn, or during peak feeding seasons, they are walking straight into high risk situation. We don’t know the details, maybe a surprise encounter,  but the timing seems to fit with bear circumstances. The incident last year that is being referenced involved food, and  occurred at same time of year. 

B.C. Trophy hunters already of course turning this tragic loss into the need to kill grizzlies. It suits their pleasure/ profit business all too well.

 

Last year, a similar incident took place, except that incident had no fatalities.  

A grizzly bear mom, an iconic symbol of the wilderness, accidentally caused harm to children during an unexpected encounter on school grounds. However, what is often overlooked in this situation is the state of the bears themselves; injured, confused, and acting out of survival instinct, rather than malice.  Now the COS want to trap and kill the mother! They will cut open her stomach to see if she has eaten garbage, and dissect her for “science” and “rabies testing”, despite her actions being defensive, not aggressive.  They are using SNARES that could injure or even kill other animals when the noose catches their neck or feet. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/grizzly-bear-attack-search-bc-conservation-officer-service-9.6989324

They are a mom and cubs!  The paw prints are little! https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/grizzly-bear-attack-search-bc-conservation-officer-service-9.6989324​

https://share.google/FLsOkeKJQNkwG2Wdf

The residents, who are Indigenous, do not want the bear family killed.  https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/such-a-traumatic-event-bc-community-still-reeling-from-grizzly-attack/

One village elder, while upset bears did eat some of her food, and damaged her house, is calling for the COS to save them.  https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/search-for-grizzly-bear-in-bella-coola-attack-continues-9.6989778

The Nuxalk Nation considers the bears sacred. They do not want them killed, and have asked the bears what to do differently.  Killing bears is forbidden in Nuxalk culture.  The agreement has been to leave the river area for the bears.  The white government Conservation Officers are quiet about what they are doing, since their usual tactic is to kill. 

Jason Moody, father of one of the children, is a Nuxalk wildlife advocate and says, as a sovereign nation, they have set up a humane Nan Coexistence Plan that is no kill and actually works.  https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6996588​

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/british-columbia/article-grizzly-bear-attack-bella-coola-nuxalk-indigenous-community/

Email the Conservation Officers and ask them to stop.  https://dir.gov.bc.ca/gtds.cgi?show=Branch&organizationCode=ENV&organizationalUnitCode=CONSRV

Grizzly bears are intrinsic to the biodiversity and cultural heritage of British Columbia. With only around 15,000 grizzly bears in the province, each individual plays a crucial role in maintaining the ecosystem. Unfortunately, the incident has sparked a wave of emotions, leading to calls for the bear to be hunted and killed. This reaction, though understandable, does not address the root issue or prevent future incidents. 

The focus should be on a humane and effective approach: live capture, medical treatment, and subsequent translocation. By opting for this path, we ensure that the bear family receives the medical attention they desperately need due to their injuries, while simultaneously safeguarding our children and communities from further unintentional harm. Translocating the bears to a more appropriate habitat could prevent further human-wildlife conflicts and serve as a compassionate example of modern wildlife management. 

If a captive setting is needed, they are limited but do exist.  https://www.grizzlyencounter.org/​

https://kickinghorseresort.com/purchase/boo-grizzly-bear/#:~:text=Grizzly%20Bear%20Refuge,INTERPRETIVE%20TOURS​

https://www.grousemountain.com/wildlife-refuge

Furthermore, allowing children to witness a situation where wildlife and humans can coexist peacefully can foster a sense of responsibility and empathy towards our natural world. We do not want the children involved to bear the psychological burden of thinking that an animal family lost their life due to unfortunate circumstances beyond their control. 

We call on local and provincial authorities to implement this compassionate solution. We request the support of wildlife experts, veterinarians, and animal welfare organizations to assist in this endeavor. Together, we can protect both the grizzly bears and our children, echoing the harmony and respect we wish to cultivate in our communities. 

Sign this petition to halt the hunt and promote a humane resolution for the future of both humans and wildlife in Bella Coola.