Spirit Bear Comp

Spirit Bear

Summary

This article titled Spirit Bear was written by Bruce Barcott, in the eyes of Wildlife guide and member of the Gitga’at First Nation Marven Robinson. Robinson was after a more revered bear than just the common grizzly or North American black bear, he was after the white black-bear, who’s often referred to as the Spirit Bear. Wildlife guides believe that with a low population of 400 to 1000 bears, they feel they are sacred and are protected by their people and will never talk about or hunt the white black-bear. If word would’ve traveled to fur traders, such a bear wouldn’t exist now-a-days because of the mass population of poachers and trophy hunters.

Gribbell and Princess Royal Island is the main source of where white black-bears reside and have lived for thousands of years. The fur looking like a vanilla-colored carpet in need of steam cleaning is how Robinson described the fur. The white black-bears understand that if grizzly bears are around then they need to keep their distance because of the room grizzly bears need. Grizzlies and black bears co-exist everywhere expect these two islands for the mere fact grizzly bears need grassy estuaries, subalpine habitats, and enormous home range. On princess island, one in ten black bears is white, unlike Gribbell Island its one in every three. Researchers have recently proved that the spirit bear’s white coat gives it an advantage when fishing. “The salmon are less concerned about a white object as seen from below the surface” Reimchen reported. To be born white a bear must inherit the mutation from both parents. This phenomenon is known as Kermodism, is triggered by a recessive mutation at the MC1R gene, the same gene associated with red hair people.