The Kermode bear, sometimes called the spirit bear (Ursus americanus kermodei), is a subspecies of the American black bear and lives in the Central and North Coast regions of British Columbia, Canada. It is the official provincial mammal of British Columbia and symbol of Terrace, British Columbia.
Where do white black bears live?
Most Spirit Bears live on Princess Royal and Gribbell Islands along the rainforest coast of British Columbia. They are considered a subspecies of black bears called Kermode bears (Ursus americanus kermodeii). About 20 percent of the bears on those islands are white; the rest are black.
Is there a white black bear?
Neither albino nor polar bear, the spirit bear (also known as the Kermode bear) is a white variant of the North American black bear, and it’s found almost exclusively here in the Great Bear Rainforest.
What type of bears are white?
Spirit bears aka Kermode bears (Ursus americanus kermodei) are a subspecies of the North American black bear with a rare recessive gene that makes their fur white or cream.
Why are some black bears white?
Their pale color comes from a mutation in the gene that produces melanin — similar to the human gene that generates redheads with fair skin. Just like gingers can have parents both without red hair or fair skin, spirit bears come from “normal” black bear parents that both carry the recessive genetic mutation.
What is the rarest type of bear?
In the southern third of Mongolia in the Gobi Desert lives the rarest bear in the world — the Gobi bear, also referred to as the Gobi grizzly, or called by its name in Mongolian, Mazaalai.
Is there any significance in the fact that spirit bear is a pure white black bear?
It’s a special black bear that’s pure white. It has honor, dignity, and pride. Is there any significance in the fact that Spirit Bear is a pure white black bear? The pure white of the spirit bear represents a clean spirit, one that has been cleansed of pain and anger.
How rare are white grizzly bears?
For, though there are a few variations of white bears to be found, such as the Kermode bears in British Columbia and the polar bears in the Arctic, white grizzly bears are extremely rare. “I have never in all my time working with grizzly bears–since the early 1980s–seen a white grizzly bear.
Why are spirit bears so rare?
Spirit bears are rare white- or cream-coated black bears whose colouration is caused by a genetic trait that is uncommon within coastal black bears. Their entire coat is white, from the roots to the tips of their hair.
What is the Native American word for a spirit bear?
Referred to as moksgm’ol, meaning “white bear,” by Tsimshian coastal First Nations, spirit bears play an important role in local culture and increasingly in Indigenous-led ecotourism.
Which bear is most dangerous?
Grizzly and polar bears are the most dangerous, but Eurasian brown bears and American black bears have also been known to attack humans.
Are black bears dangerous to humans?
The number of black bear attacks on humans is higher than those of brown bears, though this is largely because black bears outnumber brown bears rather than being more aggressive. Compared to brown bear attacks, violent encounters with black bears rarely lead to serious injury and death.
What is the biggest bear ever?
Polar Bears. The world record polar bear, the largest of all of the bear species, was taken in 1963 by Shelby Longoria in Kotzebue, Alaska. The massive bruin’s skull scored 29 15/16.
What are fun facts about black bears?
FAST FACTS
Black bears are smaller than brown bears, often called grizzlies. Black bear cubs weigh less than one pound at birth. They gain 20 to 30 pounds in three months. Excellent swimmers, black bears can paddle at least a mile and a half in freshwater.
What should you do if you encounter a black bear?
Stand and face the bear directly. Never run away from or approach him. Make yourself look as big as possible by spreading your arms or, better yet, a coat. Make as much noise as possible by yelling, banging pots and pans or using other noisemaking devices.
What color is a black bear’s nose?
Eyes are brown (blue at birth). Skin is light gray. The black bear is approximately 4 to 7 feet from nose to tail, and two to three feet high at the withers. It has small eyes, rounded ears, a long brown snout, a large body, and a short tail.