BURST
Conservation officers are still searching for three grizzly bears believed to be involved in last week’s attack on a school group in Bella Coola.
In an update Sunday, the B.C. Conservation Officer Service said crews rotated throughout the night to search for a female sow and two cubs.
“We continue to work collaboratively with the Nuxalk Nation to share updates and provide support as needed,” said Insp. Kevin Van Damme. “We also again urge people to not join in search efforts themselves, due to the public safety risk.”
Traps and cameras have been set up in the area of 4 Mile subdivision of the small B.C. Central Coast community. A helicopter with thermal imaging cameras was also used in the search. No bears have been captured.
The Service has not said whether any captured bear would be killed, saying only the bears will be assessed before a decision will be made by wildlife biologists and the provincial wildlife veterinarian.
The bears remain at large three days after a group of 20 elementary students and teachers was attacked by a grizzly bear while having lunch during a field trip near a First Nation school.
Four people — three children and one adult — were seriously injured and airlifted to Vancouver for treatment.
An online fundraiser for the victims have raised more than $64,000.