Conservation officers captured two grizzly bears on Monday but have not confirmed whether they were involved in the
in Bella Coola last week. Officers urge caution as they continue the investigation and search for a female sow and two cubs that are suspected in last Thursday’s attack that left four people seriously injured.
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service Insp. Kevin Van Damme reported on Monday morning that one bear had been trapped and assessed, including “comparing attack scene evidence with evidence analyzed from the captured bear.”
Van Damme said results were inconclusive and that the bear will be fitted with a GPS collar and relocated with the help of wildlife biologists and the provincial wildlife veterinarian.
“These bears are still considered a danger to the public and we ask residents to avoid the 4 Mile area, stay indoors and not search for the bears themselves,” said Van Damme. “The situation remains fluid as officers work tirelessly to capture and identify any bears involved. We also continue to support the Nuxalk Nation throughout these efforts.”
On Monday afternoon, Van Damme told CBC News that a second bear had been captured and that DNA tests would be performed on it to see whether it was involved in the attack.
In an update on Monday, Nuxalk Nation elected Chief Samuel Schooner asked anyone who wants to help to contribute to a
established to support the families.
“We are in constant contact with the victims and their families and continue to support them in every way we can,” said Schooner. “We know they are receiving the best care our medical professionals can offer, and we are grateful for that. We continue to ask for privacy for the victims; these are children and they deserve to recover with their families in a safe and comforting environment.”
Schooner also urged everyone to stay away from the area. “We do not want anyone else to be hurt.” Schooner asked anyone who sees a bear to report the sighting to the Conservation Officer Service at 1-877-952-7277.
Traps and cameras were set up in the area of the 4 Mile subdivision in the small B.C. Central Coast community after the attack on Thursday, and a helicopter with thermal imaging cameras helped in the search.
The service hasn’t said whether the bear involved will be killed, saying only that any captured bear will be assessed before a decision is made by biologists and the provincial veterinarian.
The two other bears remain at large four days after a group of 20 elementary students and teachers was attacked by a grizzly while having lunch during a field trip near a First Nation school.
Four people — three children and an adult — were seriously injured and airlifted to Vancouver for treatment. No update on their condition was announced on Monday.
The Ministry of Environment said there have been 24 calls about human-wildlife conflict involving grizzly bears in the Bella Coola area this year, 18 of which were in the past three months.
