Sometimes, it seems like nature has its own magical way of reminding us to be more mindful of our environment.
Sadly, it seems like it would take a while before we can truly understand nature’s importance.
Trees are gone, rivers have dried out, and beautiful animals are either extinct or near extinction.
And yet, there is still hope.
Ever heard of a Spirit Bear?
You may think that a spirit bear is a character in a movie, but they are very real and they need our help.
Spirit bears, also known as Kermode bears, are a subtype of the black bear that can be found in the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia, Canada.
They are often mistaken for polar bears or albino bears.
But they are not the same.
Spirit bears are known for their beautiful cream or white-colored fur.
You would easily spot them because they stand out. A recessive gene that is only found in about 10% of the population actually caused their light-colored fur.
Their numbers are incredibly low.
It is believed that only between 100 and 500 of these gorgeous spirit bears exist in the wild, making them an endangered species.
You can find the great spirit bear Rainforest on the central and north coast of British Columbia, Canada.
For the indigenous people of the region, the spirit bear is a vital cultural symbol, often referred to as sacred.
So, imagine the reaction of the staff of the Upper Peninsula trekking when they checked their trail camera.
The cam spotted a Spirit Bear cub.
In a Facebook post from Yooper Outdoors #906, they said:
Happy Bear Eve!!
There’s been a white-black bear on camera in the Yoop! Extremely rare, but ya never know what May come walking into your bait!
How is this possible?
The spirit bear, a cub, wondering on the Michigan trail is definitely a sight to behold.
You see, we can find the largest population of the spirit bear in Princess Royal and Gribbell Islands, but outside of British Colombia.
This is why the chances of seeing a cream-colored spirit bear in the said area are indeed rare.
Is this good news?
Does this mean their numbers are increasing?
In the said trail cam, we see the bear, a cub at around 2 years of age, curious and rummaging through the bait that was set up by a hunter.
The bear was unharmed.
The officials with the Department of Natural Resources saw the clips and were excited to check them out. Though, they haven’t confirmed the existence of the spirit animal in the area.
Though with the clear images that were sent to them, they are almost certain of this good news.
According to an exclusive Fox Weather interview, a staffer from the DNR said:
“I thought it was just too cool. It’s just exciting seeing an animal pop up like this here instead of somewhere else. We’ve had some cinnamon color phases show up, some blonde and chocolate on some trail cameras we use for surveys which is also really cool to see. But those are more common in bear populations. White is its own thing.”
Those involved in the preservation of these beautiful animals are feeling positive and overjoyed with the potential of more spirit bears.
For them, this is good news.
They’re hoping for the best and consider this a reminder for all of us that it’s not too late for us to help.
See Yooper Outdoors #906’s original post of this Spirit Bear sighting below!
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