Four bears blamed, and put down, after fatal mauling in Canada

MONTREAL, Canada (AFP) — Four grizzly bears have been identified as the culprits in the death of a mother and her daughter near a hiking trail in western Canada, authorities said Tuesday.

DNA tests from the site of the mauling last week in British Columbia determined that a female bear, or sow, and her three cubs killed the pair.

The animals have been put down, or "dispatched," as the provincial wildlife services said in a statement.

The victims had gone walking near their home close to the town of Bella Coola.

"Fatal grizzly bear attacks involving predatory behaviour are rare," the statement said.

Grizzly bears can be aggressive at this time of year as they build up their fat reserves before winter hibernation.

A school group was attacked by a bear in the same area in November last year. Eleven people, including children, were injured -- some seriously.

But the four bears identified in the recent attack were not involved in that earlier one, the statement said.