But as a reminder of the ice age, he caused every 10th black bear to be white. The formal name is Kermode bear. Locals call them ghost, or spirit, bears, and some believe they’re sacred or ...

The bear moves like a silhouette across the landscape, its black fur blending in with the dark rocks and dusky woods. A white-coated black bear gorges on salmon roe to pack on fat for the winter.

A white blaze is often present on the throat or chest. Color phases occur but are uncommon in eastern populations. Adults are approximately 50 -78 inches in length. Average-sized adult males weigh 300 ...