Teams of British Columbia conservation officers rotated throughout the night to search for a grizzly bear responsible for attacking an elementary school group.
An update from B.C. Conservation Officer Service on Sunday said the search around Bella Coola for the female and two young bears includes an RCMP aircraft with thermal imaging cameras.
“We continue to work collaboratively with the Nuxalk Nation to share updates and provide support as needed,” Insp. Kevin Van Damme said in the statement.
“We also again urge people to not join in search efforts themselves, due to the public safety risk.”
Teams have been looking for the bears since the attack on Thursday that sent three pupils and a teacher to hospital with serious injuries.
About 20 students and staff were on a field trip and having lunch in the remote community about 700 kilometres northwest of Vancouver at the time of the attack.
A cultural fire has been burning outside the community’s youth centre since the attack and is expected to continue until Monday.
A GoFundMe page launched by the Nuxalk Nation raised nearly $40,000 after less than 24 hours online.
The page said the money will go toward supporting the families of those injured with medical and related expenses, as well as community healing if the families’ needs are met.
“This was an unprecedented attack and occurred despite the group following standard safety protocols, and teachers fighting off the bear. Our community lives in good relationship with bears, and is shocked by this tragic incident,” the fundraising post said.
Conservation officers said they are using a variety of tools, including forensically matching DNA evidence if possible, to confirm which bears are involved in attacks.
Sunday’s statement said any bears captured will be assessed, in consultation with biologists and the provincial veterinarian “to determine next steps.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 23, 2025
Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press
