I’ve just returned from one of the greatest wilderness areas on earth – the Great Bear Rainforest. This breathtaking land of thick forest, fern-clad canyons, glacial waterfalls, rocky headlands, coves, bays and inlets stretches seamlessly from the top of Vancouver Island all the way up to Alaska.
It’s home to an animal I’ve wanted to see for as long as I can remember – the rare and elusive spirit bear. Otherwise known as the ghost bear, or Kermode bear, this remarkable animal is found only in a tiny corner on the north-east coast of British Columbia. It may be white, but it has normal pigmentation in its eyes, nose and skin – so it’s not albino. It’s actually an extremely rare colour phase of the American black bear. The whiteness comes from a recessive gene so, in a strange twist of nature, a spirit bear’s parents can both be black.
September is the best time – really the only time – to see spirit bears. They are fast asleep during the winter, of course, and spend most of the rest of the year hiding in the dark, tangled forest.
But for a few weeks each autumn they venture into the open to gorge on spawning salmon that congregate in the creeks, streams and rivers.
Since there are only 50-100 spirit bears altogether, I counted myself lucky after I’d seen several of them at a distance – albeit disappearing rapidly into the forest. But one day I was paddling at the edge of a creek, watching a ‘normal’ black bear expertly catching salmon, when I heard a slight rustling in the forest behind me. I turned around slowly and made eye contact with a beautiful spirit bear no more than a few metres away. The bear considered me briefly before wandering down to the creek to fish.
We spent nearly an hour together, sometimes almost within touching distance, before my newfound friend ambled out of sight among the trees.
My home for the week was a wonderful eco-sensitive lodge on Princess Royal Island, though for all intents and purposes it was in the middle of nowhere. Accessible only by boat or floatplane, it resembled a ski chalet, with timbered walls, wrap-around porch, central stone fireplace and deep sofas. Only the Native American art hinted at its real home – among the bears.
