Next Steps if Grizzly Bear is Found After Attack

Efforts are underway to find the bear that attacked a school group near Bella Coola, B.C., last Friday, an unusual event given the large group size involved. Conservation experts are debating the potential actions to take if the bear is located and linked to the attack, with about 13,000 grizzlies in B.C. making tracking feasible. The attack’s provocation remains unclear, but witnesses reported teachers using bear spray to protect students. The Nuxalk Nation, which has coexisted with bears for centuries, may influence decisions regarding the bear’s fate.