Spirit Bears

How are these bears unique?

Spirit bears, or Kermode bears, are a rare colour morph of a sub-species of black bears with a white coat that are only found in Kitasoo/Xai’xais Territory and surrounding regions.  These animals are not only evolutionarily significant, but also culturally and economically important to our Nation. We aim to assess what makes this population so limited in distribution; why are they only found in this region of the Great Bear Rainforest?  Additionally, we are working towards understanding how declining salmon stocks may influence the future survival of these rare bears.

How well are these bears protected?

Spirit bears, or Kermode bears, are a rare colour morph of a sub-species of black bears with a white coat that are only found in Kitasoo/Xai’xais Territory and surrounding regions.  These animals are not only evolutionarily significant but also culturally and economically important to our Nation. We aim to assess the distribution and size of this population and ask how sufficiently protected they are from current parks and protected areas. Read the latest research here.