Canada intensifies search for grizzly bear after mass attack on schoolchildren in Bella Coola – Firstpost

Authorities in western Canada continued the search Friday for a brown bear that emerged from the woods in a remote part of the Bella Coola region and attacked a group of 20 children and their teachers, with Inspector Kevin Van Damme describing the incident as unlike any he has encountered, saying “In my 34 years of experience, I have not seen this kind of (a bear) attack with such a large group of people.”

Provincial officials said four people were hospitalized, two of them in critical condition, a day after Thursday’s attack. The bear attacked children aged nine and ten who were participating in outdoor activities at Aqualacta School in the Nuxalk First Nation, after teachers used bear spray in an attempt to scare it away.

Search continues

According to the Provincial Health Services Authority, two people were in “critical” condition, in addition to two who were seriously injured. Officials have not disclosed the ages of those hospitalized at the request of families. Seven other people were treated at the scene but did not require hospitalization. Provincial Environment Minister Tamara Davidson confirmed that conservation officers were “attempting to locate the bear” in the area, while officials urged the public to stay away from the area to support search efforts. The Acwsalcta school announced its closure in a Facebook post on Friday, praising staff for showing “courage” during an “incredibly challenging moment”.

escalating encounters

Veronica Schooner told The Canadian Press that her son was also among the group but escaped injury. “He said the bear ran very close to him, but he was going after someone else,” she said.

Van Damme said conservation officers had set traps and were interviewing witnesses in an attempt to track the animal. He said bear-human interactions may increase as winter approaches as bears work to build up fat reserves for hibernation, and Bella Coola has seen an increase in grizzlies’ interactions with people. Although there is a large grizzly population in the area, Van Damme cautioned against assuming that bears are becoming more aggressive overall.

“A single bear can escalate conflict,” he said. “This is not necessarily common across the population”. They confirmed that an injured bear was reported in the area, but it was not yet known if it was the same animal involved in the attack. “But we don’t know who the offending bear is in this case,” he said.