Save British Columbia's Spirit Bear

*PLEASE NOTE - THIS PETITION IS FOR CANADIAN RESIDENTS   ONLY*

The spirit bear is part of the Kermode bear subspecies (who have both black and white coats), a rare subspecies of coastal black bear that diverged from inland populations, roughly 300,000 years ago. The spirit bear is known for its white coat, which is caused by a double recessive gene expressed in one out of every ten Kermode bears. Spirit bears are genetically distinct  in expressing this unique trait, and as such are neither albino nor related to polar bears.  According to Tsimshian legend, along with its white coat, the spirit bear (or Moksgm'ol) was given unique powers, and was therefore highly regarded and protected by Aboriginal communities in the area. Today, there are approximately 400 spirit bears left in the world, who live solely in a small range (4%) of the Great Bear Rainforest in coastal British Columbia.

It is unknown why Kermode bears only exist on the few islands on the coast of BC, but in order to someday unlock this mystery we must sustain the delicate ecological balance that produces the white bear.

The spirit bear shares a complex relationship with the old-growth temperate rainforest. Spirit bears rely on the forest in many ways. For example, forest tree roots and canopies protect salmon streams (their main food source) by preventing soil erosion and landslides, and the hollows of trunks provide ideal hibernating and denning (cub rearing) habitat. In turn, the spirit bear deposits a significant amount of salmon carcasses on the forest floor, which provides vital nutrients for the forest to grow and regenerate. Therefore, the relationship between the forest and the spirit bear is mutually beneficial, and particularly important in sustaining the entire wilderness. This complex and interconnected relationship affects many other organisms within the world`s last large area of intact and unprotected temperate rainforest ecosystem, and thus the protection of the spirit bear and its habitat will consequently protect many other species as well.

Why the Spirit Bear is Threatened

Since the early 1900s, the spirit bear has continued to face its greatest threat: the loss of habitat due to logging. Road building and tree harvesting methods used on this ecologically sensitive terrain removes potential hibernation and denning sites and feeding grounds for spirit bears. This vital habitat is even compromised when areas are reforested, as one or two fast-growing commercial tree species are grown densely, replace the natural diversity, and are consecutively harvested before they are allowed to mature, in order to maximize profits. Logging also leads to increased soil erosion, which causes damage to salmon streams and decreases salmon populations, thus depleting a vital food source for the spirit bear. Furthermore, salmon are being over-fished and are unprotected by legislation, thereby further depleting salmon stocks.

Related to the direct loss of habitat, the destruction of surrounding habitats also threatens the survival of the spirit bear. As surrounding forest areas on the adjacent mainland are deforested, black bears seek refuge in Kermode bear territory, which increases competition for resources. Black bears can also interbreed with the Kermode bear subspecies, diluting the recessive white gene in the gene pool, and making the occurrence of spirit bears less and less frequent. Additionally, black Kermode bears (often carriers of the white gene) remain the target of trophy hunters, even in protected forest areas. Therefore, the health of the white gene on these islands, and thus the subspecies, is dependent on a healthy Kermode bear gene pool.

All these factors, combined with the bear`s low reproductive rate, are threatening the existence of the spirit bear and the world`s last large intact temperate rainforest. The necessary measures must be taken now, in order to ensure the future of the spirit bear and its delicate ecosystem are protected.

(Courtesy of the Jane Goodall Roots & Shoots program Canada - at http://www.janegoodall.ca/roots-shoots.php.)

To sign the Faltering Light Petition in partnership with SYBC to stop the trophy hunt against Spirit Bears please visit:
 http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/trophyhunt.html.