Discovering British Columbia · Drawing 30 of 32
The Spirit Bear of the Rainforest
Great Bear Rainforest
On the North Coast, the Great Bear Rainforest is home to some special black bears. Some of them have white fur! They are called Kermode bears or spirit bears.
Did you know?
These white bears are not albino: their colour comes from a rare gene.
Look together
What is the bear catching in the river?
An idea to try
Draw a second bear, a black one this time, then compare them.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
The Kermode bear (Ursus americanus kermodei) is a subspecies of black bear. A rare white-coated form lives mainly on British Columbia’s Central and North Coast. These bears are not albino: their colour comes from a rare genetic trait. The province made the spirit bear one of its official symbols in 2006. Coastal First Nations have known this bear for a very long time. The drawing composes a river scene; these bears are watched only from a distance, with guides.
Sources and illustration notes (2)
Simplified interpretation for colouring. Settings may be composed. Details, distances and proportions are not a measured record of the place.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- Government of British Columbia — B.C. SymbolsSpirit Bear (Kermode bear): a black bear, not albino, white from a rare genetic trait; mostly on the Central and North Coast; official symbol since April 2006.
- The Canadian Encyclopedia — Spirit BearBlack bear subspecies; rare white form of the British Columbia coast.
Source review: 2026-10-21. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
