Search goes on for bear that attacked B.C. pupils, two other grizzlies to be freed

The B.C. Conservation Officer Service says two grizzlies captured in Bella Coola will be fitted with tracking collars and relocated far from the community, while the search goes on for the bear that attacked and badly injured three schoolchildren and a teacher last week. 

The bears were captured as officers search for the mother bear thought to have attacked the group of 20 people on a trail in the central coast community about 700 kilometres northwest of Vancouver. 

The service says in an update on Tuesday that the second bear, a male, is still being assessed, but there isn’t conclusive evidence either of the grizzlies that were caught on Monday was involved in the attack.

It says an intense search continues for the grizzly sow and her two cubs, which were believed to be involved in Thursday’s attack.

The school attended by the children reopened Tuesday with added safety measures, including door-to-door bus pick up and drop off. 

The Acwsalcta School said in a statement on Monday that it was taking “additional steps and precautions” to ensure safety for all the students as it welcomes their return.

Pupils of the independent school run by Nuxalk First Nation will not be allowed leave the grounds, but they’ll be allowed outside in the fenced playground and courtyard areas. 

“We also wanted to note that we completely understand if students and families are not feeling ready for their children to come to school at this time,” principal Brittany Hughes said in a letter to families that the school also shared on social media.

It said students should not be walking from 4 Mile, the area near the bear attack. 

Secondary students would not be allowed to walk to the store at lunch, it says

The attack has set off requests for the B.C. government to bring back the trophy hunt for grizzlies, however Environment Minister Tamara Davidson said the hunt had never been used as a population management tool.

“When the hunt was open, bears were not typically hunted in the same areas where conflicts were occurring,” she told the legislature on Tuesday. 

Davidson said right now the focus is on keeping the community safe. 

“And any time there’s a conflict with a bear, it’s a reminder that we share the outdoors with these wild animals.”

The B.C. General Employees’ Union said in a statement that the incident highlighted the role conservation officers play to keep the community safe and the “challenging the dangerous work environment they face.”

Sebastian Kallos, vice-president of Component 20 of the BCGEU, said that they are “deeply disturbed” by the attack, and their thoughts are with the victims and their families.

Kallos said officers are working to locate and safely trap the bears involved and collect forensic evidence at the site of the attack to better understand what happened. 

“As first responders, they risk their lives managing wildlife populations, responding to threats, and educating the public to keep B.C. safe,” read the statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 25, 2025.