Safety note: Dangerous — observe from a safe distance.
The Kermode Bear, also called the Spirit Bear, is a rare subspecies of the American black bear in which some individuals express a recessive gene producing a creamy white coat despite being genetically a black bear. Roughly one in ten Kermode bears on the central coast of British Columbia is white. First Nations peoples have protected and revered spirit bears for generations.
Habitat
Temperate rainforests and coastal islands of British Columbia
Diet
Salmon, berries, sedges, insects, and small mammals
How common
Rare
Recent Kermode Bear sightings near you
Live, research-grade observations from iNaturalist. Allow location to center the map on you.
Spot a Kermode Bear? Identify it instantly.
Point Huck at any plant or animal and get an instant ID, rarity, and field notes — building your personal nature collection as you go.
Get Huck — free