Tag Archives: Spirit Bears

Forests, Indigenous Nations

First Nations leader celebrates evolution of stewardship in Great Bear Rainforest

A model for environmental protection may become much more.

Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

There are new measures to better protect bear and fish habitat in the globe’s largest remaining coastal temperate rainforest, thanks to First Nations’ increasing role in stewarding the Great Bear Rainforest (GBR).

The new protections resulted from the latest five-year review of an agreement between the B.C. Ministry of Forests and two First Nations alliances — Coastal First Nations and Nanwakolas Council — which represent 11 of the 26 Nations with territory in the rainforest.

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Animals, Indigenous Nations

New hunting ban aims to preserve B.C.’s rare spirit bear

National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Some First Nations on B.C.’s central coast are celebrating now that black bear hunting in their territories is closed to protect the exceptional cream-coloured spirit bears concentrated in those areas.

The spirit bear, also known as Kermode bears, are black bears that have a creamy white coat as a result of rare genetic mutation. 

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