Princess Royal Island is covered with pristine rainforest valleys that are blanketed with lush foliage. Hemlock, cedar and 800-year-old Sitka spruce stand tall against the sky. Packs of rare black wolves roam freely and hunt the abundant deer population of the island. Porpoises, elephant seals and Orca whales make the island's channels and coves their home at certain times of the year. It is virtually the paradise that Raven intended it to be. However, "peace forever" is no longer guaranteed. British Columbia's massive logging industry is endagering the "Spirit Bear."
The Kermode Bear
The Spirit Bear is the Kermode bear (Ursa Americanus Kermodie.) It lives in British Columbia's rainforest. This bear is not a cousin of the polar bear, or an albino. It is a sub-species of the black bear. Both parents must have a recessive gene to make the black bear white. One family can consist of both black and white bears.
When it is born, the Kermode bear weights about 1/2 lb. A full grown adult weights up to 300. As with all species, mothers are very protective of their young. They learn to survive by watching her hunt. They stay with her from birth (Jan) until the salmon begin to run in the fall. Kermodes are gentle animals. They will not attack humans unless their cubs are in danger, or they are dying of starvation.
Habitat
The territory of the Kermode is about 7.2 million hectacres. They exist in the territory from Princess Royal Island to Prince Rupert Island, Terrace and East Hazelton. Most of the world's Kermode bears are found on Pricess Royal Island. The island is also home to salmon, bald eagles, foxes and other animals.
The habitat of the Kermode is in grave danger. Logging companies have set their sights on the lush rainforests of the region. These areas are quickly disappearing. If the logging companies aren't stopped, the rainforests will be gone. If the Kermodes habitat disappears, the "Spirit Bear" will become extincty.
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