British Columbia·UpdatedB.C. conservation officers say a second grizzly bear has now been captured in Bella Coola, though it has not been established whether the animal was involved in last week’s attack on an elementary school group.Captured bear will be fitted with GPS collar and relocated; officers unsure if it’s responsible for attackCBC News · Posted: Nov 24, 2025 4:27 PM EST | Last Updated: less than a minute agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.The image of a grizzly bear in the Yukon, not a bear associated with the attack in Bella Coola, B.C., on Thursday Nov. 20, 2025. (Government of Yukon)B.C. conservation officers say a second grizzly bear has now been captured in Bella Coola, though it has not been established whether the animal was involved in last week’s attack on an elementary school group.Insp. Kevin Van Damme with the B.C. Conservation Officer Service (BCCOS) confirmed the development in an interview with CBC’s Ian Hanomansing Monday afternoon.He said officers will now immobilize the bear, assess its condition and collect evidence including DNA, to determine whether it matches material gathered at the attack scene or aligns with witness accounts.Van Damme said the capture occurred near 4 Mile, the area where the attack happened and a place grizzlies are known to frequent. WATCH | Intense search for grizzlies after attack:Intense search for 3 grizzly bears after B.C. schoolchildren attacked An intense search is underway near Bella Coola, B.C., for a mother grizzly bear and two cubs after a group of schoolchildren were attacked, sending four people to hospital. Earlier Monday, another grizzly bear was trapped, the first since the search began following Thursday’s attack. Conservation officers said they can’t confirm if it is the one involved in the incident. “Evidence is not conclusive that the captured bear was involved in the attack,” reads a Facebook post from the BCCOS.It goes on to say the animal will be fitted with a GPS collar and relocated.The service says officers will continue to find the three grizzly bears believed to be involved in the Nov. 20 attack, which left two people critically hurt and two others seriously injured.It adds that the bears are still considered a danger to the public, and residents are asked to stay indoors and avoid the 4 Mile area. Samuel Schooner, Elected Chief of the Nuxalk Nation in Bella Coola, B.C., says the nation has also launched an online fundraiser to support the families of the young children and teacher involved in the attack. “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,” reads the statement, issued on Monday.Sow, two cubs ‘likely’ involved: BCCOSThree students and one teacher were hospitalized Thursday when the bear attacked a group of about 20 people, including teachers and Grade 4 and 5 students in Bella Coola — a community about 420 kilometres northwest of Vancouver as the crow flies.The group was on a field trip and eating lunch at the time. WATCH | Sow and 2 cubs ‘likely’ involved in the attack:Mother bear, 2 cubs likely involved in grizzly attack on school group: conservation officerSgt. Jeff Tyre with the B.C. Conservation Officer Service says that, based on information officials received, there is ‘likely a sow and two cubs involved’ in the attack on a school group in Bella Coola. No bears have yet been trapped, he added. According to the BCCOS, three bears — a grizzly sow and two cubs — were “likely” involved in the attack based on their investigation and witness accounts so far.BCCOS Sgt. Jeff Tyre has said there are a few bears in the area and the goal is to safely trap the animals, collect DNA, and work with wildlife veterinarians to determine whether the bears caught are the ones involved in the attack.An RCMP helicopter is using thermal imaging to help the search, and trail cameras have been installed. The search area has also been tightened to a few kilometres around the 4 Mile subdivision.Tyre said no decisions have been made about whether the bears involved would be killed.Anyone with information or who wants to report a bear sighting is asked to contact the Report All Poachers and Polluters line at 1-877-952-7277. With files from Shaurya Kshatri
B.C. conservation officers trap grizzly in Bella Coola as search continues after attack
