Stunning Photos Capture Rare White Spirit Bear In Action

Kermode bears, also known as spirit bears, are incredibly elusive. They live only in one section of British Columbia’s central coast, and a new study indicates the gene that turns their fur white is even rarer than previously thought. We’ll talk to two researchers from the study about the quest to protect and preserve the Great Bear Rainforest.

In addition to their startling color, the animals hold religious significance to the indigenous Tsimshian peoples, who refer to the bears as "moksgm'ol," or "white bear," the BBC's Discover Wildlife reports. Tsimshian culture includes the bears in multiple mythological tales, including one in which spirit bears were created by the universe's maker as a reminder of the final ice age.