 "Authorities have urged people to stay out of the area to aid the search. (Representational Image/Reuters)")
Authorities in western Canada continued on Friday to search for a grizzly bear that emerged from the forest in a remote part of the Bella Coola area and attacked a group of 20 children and their teachers, an incident described by Inspector Kevin Van Damme as unlike anything he has encountered, noting that “in my 34 years of experience, I have not seen a (bear) attack like this with such a large group of people.”
Four people remained in hospital a day after Thursday’s attack, including two in critical condition, provincial officials said. The bear had charged at children aged nine and ten who were taking part in outdoor activities from the Acwsalcta school in the Nuxalk First Nation, with teachers using bear spray in an effort to drive it back.
Search underway
According to the Provincial Health Services Authority, two people were in “serious” condition alongside the two critically injured. Officials have not disclosed the ages of those in hospital at the request of families. Another seven people were treated at the scene but did not require hospital admission. Provincial environment minister Tamara Davidson confirmed that conservation officers were in the area “attempting to locate the bear”, while authorities urged the public to avoid the region to support search efforts. The Acwsalcta school announced its closure on Friday in a Facebook post, praising staff for showing “courage” during “an incredibly challenging moment.”
Rising encounters
Veronica Schooner told the Canadian Press that her son was among the group but escaped injury. “He said that bear ran so close to him, but it was going after somebody else,” she said.
Van Damme added that conservation officers had set traps and were interviewing witnesses in an effort to track the animal. He noted that bear–human interactions can rise as winter approaches because bears work to build fat reserves for hibernation, and Bella Coola has seen increased reports of grizzlies interacting with people. Although the region has a sizeable grizzly population, Van Damme cautioned against assuming that bears were becoming more aggressive overall.
“One individual bear could increase conflicts,” he said. “It’s not necessarily generic across” the population. He confirmed that an injured bear had been reported in the area but said it was not yet known whether it was the same animal involved in the attack. “But we don’t know that is the offending bear in this case,” he said.