Home › Mammalia › Ursidae › Spirit Bear / Kermode Bear (Ursus americanus kermodei)
SPECIES PROFILE
Spirit Bear / Kermode Bear (Ursus americanus kermodei)
Ursus
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Mammalia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Endemic to a small area of BC's central coast, primarily Gribbell and Princess Royal Islands and adjacent mainland
DIET
Omnivore
HABITAT
Old-growth temperate rainforest of BC's central coast; salmon-bearing rivers essential during autumn
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Mammalia
ORDER
Carnivora
FAMILY
Ursidae
GENUS
Ursus
📋 Description
SIZE
120–180 kg; body length 1.5–1.8 m
COLORATION
White or cream-coloured coat due to a recessive gene; black bears also occur in the same population
ADAPTATIONS
White colouring may provide a fishing advantage — fish are less able to see the pale bear against a bright sky
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Old-growth temperate rainforest of BC's central coast; salmon-bearing rivers essential during autumn
DIET
Omnivore
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Endemic to a small area of BC's central coast, primarily Gribbell and Princess Royal Islands and adjacent mainland
REPRODUCTION
Solitary except during mating; 1–4 cubs born mid-winter in a den; cubs stay with the mother for 1.5 years
DIET DETAILS
Salmon is the dietary cornerstone in autumn; also berries, sedges, insects, and small mammals
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Logging of old-growth forest; salmon population decline; climate change affecting berry crops and salmon timing
💡 Interesting Facts
1
The Kermode Bear is sacred to several First Nations and is often called the spirit bear; roughly one in ten bears in this population carries the white coat.
2
Only about 400 white-phase Kermode Bears are thought to exist; the Great Bear Rainforest agreement protects much of their range from logging.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Princess Royal Island in the Great Bear Rainforest, BC, is the core habitat for white-phase Kermode Bears
Gribbell Island, BC, accessible only by boat, offers the best chance of seeing a white Kermode Bear fishing
Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park along the Atnarko River, BC, provides autumn bear viewing
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
September and October along the Atnarko and Thorsen rivers on Gribbell and Princess Royal Islands; guided First Nations tours offer the best access.
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Autumn. Salmon season draws Kermode Bears to coastal rivers in the Great Bear Rainforest from September to October.
