by Hannah Schardt The bears that haunt these woods may look like ghosts, but they are 100 percent real!

What is this pale-furred creature lounging in the woods at right? A polar bear that’s lost its way? Nope— it’s an even rarer bear: a Ker- Wmode (kur-MOH-dee) bear. Kermode bears live only in the Great Bear Rainforest—a partly protected area in the islands and coastal forests of Canada’s British Co- lumbia. Most Kermode British bears have dark fur, Columbia Great Bear but some are white, Rainforest which earned them a ghostly nickname: spirit bears. No one knows for CANADA sure how many spirit bears there are, but sci- entists believe there are UNITED STATES only a few hundred white ones. Not many people have been lucky enough to spot one. For a glimpse into the secret world of spirit bears, turn the page.

6 PAUL NICKLEN/NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CREATIVE xYXYX XYXY XYXYX YXYX YXYX YX xYXYX XYXY XYXYX YXYX YXYX YX xYXYX XYXY XYXYX YXYX YXYX YX 7 ERIC BACCEGA/NPL/MINDEN PICTURES (8T); ERIC BACCEGA/NATUREPL.COM (8-9B); DON PAULSON/ JAYNES GALLERY/DANITADELIMONT.COM (9B)

A WHITE hollow of an old tree and drinking her milk. Even huddles down for the win- once they’ve left the den SACRED BEAR BLACK BEAR Native Americans have shared Spirit bears can be almost ter. In December or Janu- tree and moved on to solid Canada’s rainforest islands as white as polar bears, but ary, she gives birth to one meals, they stick around with spirit bears for thousands don’t let that pale fur fool to four cubs. for another year or so of years. They always believed you. A spirit bear is actually The cubs spend the while Mom protects them a kind of black bear. Only rest of the cold winter from harm. these bears were special. about one in ten has white months snuggled Some even thought the bears or cream-colored fur, though close to Mom, had supernatural powers. the ratio is different on Hey, Mom! Wait up! According to native legends, each island. spirit bears could swim deep So if they are BLACK underwater and lead people bears, why are some spirit to magical places. Legend also Kermode bear cubs don’t always bears white? Scientists look like their parents, as you can has it that Raven, the Creator, believe that, thousands of see above. made every tenth black bear years ago, a black bear was on one island white as a mutation born with a (myoo- reminder of the last ice age, TAY-shun), or a change in which was 10,000 years ago. its genes, that made it white. Some native people who When that bear had cubs— lived near the bears honored and grandcubs, and great- them by carving masks such as grandcubs—some of them were also born white. Even the one below. those with dark fur some- times went on to have white cubs. White spirit bears are not albino—born with little pig- ment, or color, in their skin, eyes, and fur. As you can see in these photos, they still have dark noses and eyes. They aren’t closely re- lated to polar bears, either. They are just black bears that are white.

FAMILY TIME Spirit bears spend most of their time alone—ex- cept when moms are rais- ing babies. After mating, a mom finds a cozy den in the

8 9 TIME TO EAT! A rotting log makes a fine bridge A spirit bear is a special for a bear with good balance (left). bear, indeed. But it is still a wild bear. And like any wild bear, it needs to eat—a lot. be inside a female fish. When Like most bears, spirit the bear is full or moves on bears eat plant material, such to another meal, it leaves as berries and grass. But they the salmon leftovers behind. also get to eat barnacles and These break down and make mussels along the shore. And great fertilizer, or nutrients, for part of the year, they feast for the trees. Scientists have on salmon, which swim up found that trees that live coastal streams each year to where there are salmon- spawn, or lay eggs. One spirit eating bears grow bigger and bear may catch dozens of healthier than other trees. salmon in a day! Helping the forest where When it comes to salmon- you live? Now that’s the eating bears, a white coat spirit, bears! = is the right coat. Scientists found that spirit bears have better luck catching fish than their darker-furred relatives—at least during the daytime. A white bear isn’t as visible as a dark one to fish looking up toward a bright spot a white spirit bear and FOREST FARMERS sky. So fish aren’t as likely to swim off in a hurry. British Columbia’s salmon- rich coastal forests make a perfect home for spirit bears. But the bears also help the forests. Here’s how: When a bear catches a salmon, it doesn’t chow down right in the river. It may carry its meal half a mile into the woods. And it usually doesn’t eat the whole fish. In fact, sometimes it eats only the eggs that may still

A ripe berry is a nice snack (above). With a full day of fishing behind But when salmon is in season, fish it, the spirit bear at right relaxes becomes the daily special! (left) against a moss-covered tree.

10 IAIN D. WILLIAMS (10-11T, 10BL); M. WATSON/ARDEA.COM (10BR); FABRICE SIMON/BIOSPHOTO (11B) 11