Spirit Bear, or Kermode Bear - Natural Resources Defense Council

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Spirit Bear, or Kermode Bear
Natural Resources Defense Council
Photo: Ian McAllister

The SPIRIT BEAR, or Kermode Bear, is one of the most famous -- and unusual -- denizens of the Great Bear Rainforest. It is actually a member of the black bear family, but a recessive gene gives it its white color. (The Spirit Bear's parents and siblings are usually black; white bears occur in about 1 of every 10 births.) British Columbia's north coast is the only part of the world where these bears are found. The largest concentrations of Spirit Bears are on Princess Royal Island and adjacent islands, and in some nearby mainland valleys.