Grizzly Attack Leaves Bella Coola on Edge as Search Intensifies
What happened in Bella Coola, B.C., over the past couple of days has left an entire community shaken, and honestly, it’s one of those moments that feels almost unreal when you first hear it. A grizzly bear attacked a group of Grade 4 and 5 students and their teachers during a school field trip, and officials are still warning residents that the situation remains dangerous because the bear is still loose.
This unfolded during what should have been a simple outdoor learning activity for students from Acwsalcta School, run by the Nuxalk First Nation. In the chaos that followed, four people—one adult and three children—were severely mauled and had to be airlifted to Vancouver for emergency treatment. Two of them remain in critical condition, while several others were treated for mild injuries. Remarkably, nine students managed to escape without physical harm, although the emotional toll on everyone there is impossible to measure.
What truly stands out is the extraordinary courage shown by the teachers and education assistants. It was shared online by Nuxalk Elder Hzita Brown Mack that an education assistant fought the bear directly to pull her granddaughter out of danger. Others used bear spray, bear bangers, and whatever makeshift tools they could find. Bear spray reportedly didn’t work, so they resorted to sheer human force to drive the animal away—a terrifying thought in itself.
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Nuxalk Chief Samuel Schooner called these educators heroes, and honestly, it’s difficult to disagree. He said they were trained, they stayed calm, and when faced with an unimaginable moment of life and death, they put themselves between the bear and the children. His gratitude was clear, saying the children would remain alive for many years because of those courageous actions.
According to Inspector Kevin Van Damme from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service, this kind of attack is incredibly rare. In his 34 years on the job, he has never seen a grizzly charge and attack such a large group of people. Conservation officers believe a bear in the area may have been previously injured, but it’s unclear whether it’s the same animal. For now, eight officers are on the ground, setting traps and collecting evidence to identify the grizzly responsible.
The Bella Coola Valley is known for coexistence with grizzlies, and long-time bear guide Ellie Lamb noted that this behaviour is unprecedented. According to her, the bear must have been extremely stressed to engage so aggressively with multiple people.
For the community, the fear and trauma are still fresh. At one point, nearly a hundred family members crowded into the local emergency room—parents, grandparents, siblings, all desperate for answers.
And now, with the bear still at large, the warning from officials remains firm: stay inside, stay alert, and let the professionals continue their search.
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