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The Kermode bears were first described
scientifically in 1905 by William Hornaday.
Understandably, he regarded them as a distinct species
and named them after Francis Kermode, a Canadian
colleague who had secured data and specimens for him.
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In 1928 scientists confirmed the suspicion that the
Kermode bear was simply an unusual white geographic race
of black bear, an ursine oxymoron. The Kermode is not an
It's white coloration is in fact caused by a double
recessive gene, meaning that the recessive gene must
occur in both of the breeding bears. When these tow bears
mate the resulting cubs can range in colour from black,
cinnamon, orange to white. It is not unusual to have a
white cub and a black cub born from the same mother.
However only the white bear is protected from the hunter.
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Protected from the hunter....are they?
The black bears of the area that carry the recessive
genes are hunted. So I have a question for the hunter:
"If you shoot a black bear that carries the
recessive gene, are you not, in reality, shooting a
Kermode bear?"
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The Kermode's range extends from
Princess Royal Island south-east of Prince Rupert,
British Columbia, where there is an estimate of 5-15
bears, to nearby Gribbell Island. They have also been
spotted near Prince Rupert, Terrace and Kitimat and as
far inland as Hazelton. The total number of white bears
in that terrain is unknown.
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The greatest potential threat to these
bears, however, is their loss of habitat due to clear-cut
logging. There are already two clear cuts on the north
end of Princess Royal and others in nearby areas, like
the slopes along the Gardner Canal.
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To date we haven't created a sanctuary
anywhere for the Kermode. More data is needed to decide
on the best area for a sanctuary or the claim will
certainly be challenged by the logging companies.
Unfortunately with so few bears, that data remains very
difficult to collect.
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In the February 2006 Speech from the Throne by the Government of British Columbia, the Lieutenant Governor announced her government's intention to designate the Kermode or spirit bear as British Columbia's official animal. Miga, one of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics mascots, is half Kermode bear and half killer whale. |
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Back to the Ghost Bear!
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