Written By: Aleksandar Simeunovic

Deep in the forests of Canada, along the rainy coasts of British Columbia, two bear cubs play in the shallow waters of a river. One is as white as a snowy morning, the other as black as a midnight sky. The striking difference in appearance may lead some to believe that the well-known polar bear has begun to migrate south, but this bear is no polar bear. In fact, the two cubs are related, sharing the same set of parents. Both are black bears, while the white specimen is called a Kermode Bear (Ursus Americanus Kermodei). This is the story behind this awe-inspiring set of siblings and how they are thriving in a world that is constantly evolving around them.

The Rainforest’s Very Own

Hugging the southern edges of Canada’s west coast lies the Great Bear Rainforest. Contrasting with the more commonly known Rainforests of South America, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia, the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest are much cooler and even receive quite a bit of snow during the colder months of the year. The trees that make up the tall treeline are some of the biggest in the world, some even spanning several meters in width and hundreds in height. To add a beautiful backdrop to the striking combination of ocean and rainforest loom towering mountains. Combined, all three of these views paint the perfect picture for one of the rarest varieties of bear in the entire world.

The Great Bear Rainforest is the only location across the entire globe that Kermode Bears, also known as spirit bears, call home. The dark green of the forest contrasts sharply with the bright white of the bear, giving it an eerie and looming presence to those that come across it. This mysterious appearance led to the coining of its most used title; the spirit bear.

Figure 1

A Kermode Bear scans the water for potential food.

Source: wbur.org

A Ghostly Mutation

Many who see the bear make two false assumptions regarding its fur color…

1. They assume that it is a Polar Bear (Ursus Maritimus)
2. They assume that it is albino

Both of these assumptions are, in fact, incorrect. The kermode bear is scientifically identified as a black bear. Its northern cousin, the Polar bear, is much larger and can be up to five times heavier. Polar bears also differ significantly from black bears in that they are carnivorous, while black bears are omnivorous due to having a diet consisting of many berries alongside meat.

Contrary to popular belief, the Kermode bear is not actually albino. Albinism is caused by a lack of pigment, and specimens lack color in all areas of their body, not just their fur color. Pink eyes and mouths, both common traits in albino species, are not found in Kermode bears. The white hue in their fur is actually caused by a recessive gene that is also found in humans. While this may come as a surprise, it is actually the same gene that causes red hair in humans, making kermode bears the redheads of the bear family. 

Figure 2

A mother Black Bear stands atop a rocky outcrop with her two cubs. The genetic mutation that causes the white appearance of Kermode Bears is not always passed on to both cubs, and it is quite common for some of the cubs to appear the usual black color while the others appear ghost-white.

Source: timescolonist.org

A Shrinking World

We live in a world that possesses uncountable amounts of natural beauty, humanity continues to disregard this and exploit the natural world. Many human-caused problems may pose a threat to the Kermode bear’s population, the largest of which are fishing, forestry, and climate change. Overfishing as well as increased ocean temperatures have drastically decreased salmon populations in the Pacific Ocean. Since they are the main food source of the Kermode bear, it can have consequential effects on them as well. The rivers of the Great Bear Rainforest normally contain about 80,000 salmon on a given day, but those same rivers have now decreased to about four to five thousand of the vital fish. However, all hope is not lost for the bears, and efforts are being taken to fix the problems that we, as humans, have caused.

The Kitasoo/XaiXais Nation has called the Great Bear Rainforest home for as long as they can remember. Having worshipped and fought to protect the spirit bear for hundreds of years, they essentially kept the species in complete secrecy in order to protect them from fur trappers and trophy hunters. This method worked, and the spirit bear remained relatively unharmed by hunting during a time where many North American species were being hunted at rates rarely seen before. However, the Kitasoo Nation’s work was not yet done. They went on to become one of 27 Nations that negotiated with the Canadian government to conserve the rainforest and protect the species within. Their goal was finally achieved in February of 2016 when 85 percent of the land became officially protected by the government.

Figure 3

A Kermode Bear lounges near a river. Constant overfishing as well as increased ocean temperatures pose threats to the Spirit Bear’s home.

Source: Spirit Bear Lodge

A Bright Future Ahead

The official protection of the Great Bear Rainforest has been a step in the right direction– not just for species of western Canada, but of the entire animal kingdom. Leaders in other areas of the world can look to the story of the Spirit Bears’ evasion of death and put its lessons into practice within their own countries. By preserving the rare genetic beauty found in these bears, we can help them thrive on this planet for years to come.

References and Sources

Chakrabarti, M., & Knotts, B. (2020, July 22). The rare, elusive spirit bears of British Columbia.

The Rare, Elusive Spirit Bears Of British Columbia | On Point. Retrieved October 13,

2021, from https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2020/07/22/spirit-bears-british-columbia.

In search of the spirit bear. Backpacker. (2021, February 3). Retrieved October 13, 2021, from

https://www.backpacker.com/stories/nature/in-search-of-the-spirit-bear/.

Langlois, K. (2021, May 4). First Nations fight to protect the rare spirit bear from hunters.

Animals. Retrieved October 13, 2021, from

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/wildlife-watch-hunting-great-bear-r

inforest-spirit-bear.

Morgan, C., & Martin, M. (2019, July 23). Where the spirit bears roam. KUOW. Retrieved

October 13, 2021, from https://kuow.org/stories/the-wild-extra-1.

Photos: In search of the spirit bear. Victoria Times Colonist. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2021, from https://www.timescolonist.com/archive/photos-in-search-of-the-spirit-bear-4670077.

Spirit bear. Spirit Bear Lodge. (2021, August 24). Retrieved October 13, 2021, from

https://spiritbear.com/wildlife/spirit-bear/.