Kermode bears in Alberta?

[.270]

I was under the impression that the Kermode or white phase black bears range is consisted of the north coast of BC.

I came across this picture on KUIU website, caption says Alberta Archery Kermode. So is there a population of them in AB and are they not protected like they are here in BC?


http://album.kuiu.com/post/5777795308

[Darksith]

it might simply be an albino?

[Bear Chaser]

Looks like a blond color phase to me. They occur quite regularly. Calling it a Kermode is just throwing gas on the fire. Next to greenhouse gas caused climate change this whole Spirit Bear philosophy is the biggest crock of crap going.

[.270]

Darksith, how do you tell them apart?

[Steeleco]

The white phase is nothing more than a really rare gene that seldom shows up. BC is right, the whole Spirit bear thing is a crock.

[Steeleco]

Darksith, how do you tell them apart? If it's albino, it will have pink lips and eyes.


a person with pale skin, light hair, pinkish eyes, and visual abnormalities resulting from a hereditary inability to produce the (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/the) pigment melanin

[NaStY]

Mighty fine rug material right there...........

[.270]

It would be cool to have a black rug and a white rug in the same room.

It's seems like people want to protect the white phase of any creature, but if it's black nobody cares.:-D

I've heard anti-hunter's say "well I don't care if you hunt moose cause they're ugly but not the Bambi or a quite bear, how can you do that?"

People are such hypocrites.

[Walking Buffalo]

I'm glad I saw this picture.

The last thing we need in Alberta is for people to start talking about Spirit Bears. This is just a blonde phase Black bear.

I'm surprised that Kiui would post a caption like this. They should know better.

In case they didn't consider the ramifications of calling this bear a "Kermode", I sent this email.

It would be great if some HBC members would send an email to them as well.

Email: album@kuiu.com


Dear Kuiu,

Great bear picture, terrible Caption in this Album.

As you should know, the anti hunting community made up the name "Kermode" or Spirit Bears, As a result, large areas are now off limits for bear hunting in BC.

Any association to this Alberta blonde bear and the "Kermode" bear is playing with fire. Anti hunters will come across the picture, and likely start a push to protect Blonde bears in Alberta too.

Please Remove the word "Kermode" from the title.

I hope to hear back from you and your thoughts to my suggestion.

Thanks,

Dale K

http://album.kuiu.com/post/5777795308

[boxhitch]

White-phase bears have been spotted almost anywhere there are B Bears, but it is the rarest of the color phases, and no concentrations of the mutant gene occur except on the BC coast.
Click here to see a map of the Spirit Bear area http://www.raincoast.org/projects/grizzly-bears/acquisitions/

[mjmbc]

quite a few years ago while bear hunting i observed a family unit of white ones up in behind harrison lake . they can be found just about anywhere i think

[gwillim]

There's one that is hanging around an area near Nelson where I go for walks. I got a picture of it last year, then again a few weeks ago. Last year I thought it was an orphaned cub. It always seemed to be alone, and was very skinny. It must of figured a few things out, because it survived the winter, and now looks pretty healthy, though still quite small. A friend posted pictures on his website devoted to local natural history...
http://blog.kootenay-lake.ca/?p=1921

[luckynuts]

Definately have them in FSJ have seen 5 of them in the last 7 years though they are usually harvested at a young age due to their rarity. I did take a few pics of one will see if I can dig up when I get off shift.

W.

[smoke-eater]

I was under the impression that the Kermode or white phase black bears range is consisted of the north coast of BC.

I came across this picture on KUIU website, caption says Alberta Archery Kermode. So is there a population of them in AB and are they not protected like they are here in BC?


http://album.kuiu.com/post/5777795308

Kermode black bear is a subspecies of the American Black Bear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Black_Bear) living in the central and north coast of British Columbia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia), Canada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada). So unless these Albertains shot this bear on the north coast on BC, it is not a Kermode bear. Just more uninformed hunters spouting of wrong facts....

[gwillim]

Definately have them in FSJ have seen 5 of them in the last 7 years though they are usually harvested at a young age due to their rarity. I did take a few pics of one will see if I can dig up when I get off shift.

W.

You're joking about the "harvested" part, right?

[The Dude]

It's easy to tell them apart.
The brown ones taste like chocolate, the white ones are vanilla.
But ya gotta pop one first. :D
And yeah, every time I hear the term "Spirit Bear", I cringe.

[mikeboehm]

would would be nice to have a black rug white rug and cinnoman rug rite next to each other

[Barracuda]

Kermode black bear is a subspecies of the American Black Bear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Black_Bear) living in the central and north coast of British Columbia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia), Canada (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada). So unless these Albertains shot this bear on the north coast on BC, it is not a Kermode bear. Just more uninformed hunters spouting of wrong facts....

i think you better do some more research

http://www.corporate.gov.bc.ca/bcspiritbear/more_about_spirit_bear.htm


it is a made up name for a colour phase black bear that occours in many places and not just central an N coast of bc . Bc just happend to name it and make up some bullshit story that the sheeple gobbled up

its no differnt then the genes expressed that produce a blond person

[Amphibious]

Blond Phase. not a kermode.


would would be nice to have a black rug white rug and cinnoman rug rite next to each other

here's some contrast for you... 4 hides ready for the taxidermist.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v73/221/50/614545050/n614545050_511072_98.jpg

[NaStY]

I just need a white one now...

[.270]

Lot's of good information, thanks. The question is where do you draw the line, how light is too light. Not to mention the blue phase, do they stand out as being blue.

Here are the Reg's:

White and blue (Glacier) colour phases of
the black bear are closed to hunting. Note that
these animals are rarely pure in colour and are
usually somewhat dirty. Hunters should pass up
any very light-coloured black bear.

[Steeleco]

The rule is very confusing. If they want to protect the "white" bears on Princess Royal island, then do so, but to suggest a white bear in the kootaneys or Alberta is somehow related is complete Bull. Close an area, not a colour or variance of it.

Who decides how white is too white??

[emerson]

The rule is very confusing. If they want to protect the "white" bears on Princess Royal island, then do so, but to suggest a white bear in the kootaneys or Alberta is somehow related is complete Bull. Close an area, not a colour or variance of it.

Who decides how white is too white??

Exactly. Although it will be a CO who decides initially. Eventually lawyers could come to a specific decision after using lots of a willing hunter's money.

[boxhitch]

Blond Phase. not a kermode.



here's some contrast for you... 4 hides ready for the taxidermist.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v73/221/50/614545050/n614545050_511072_98.jpgNow thats a trophy! good looking set there

[boxhitch]

Exactly. Although it will be a CO who decides initially. Eventually lawyers could come to a specific decision after using lots of a willing hunter's money.usually its the judge that makes the final decision. Charges based on color would be an easy win . yes it is white compared to tar, but it is blond compared to snow. Snow even makes goats and polar bears appear yellowish.
Its a dumb rule, probably would never get to court.

[islander7mm]

I think calling these bears "Spirit Bears" and giving these animals spiritual significance goes along with the fact that the environmental movement is a religion of emotion and not based on science.

[elkdom]

I think calling these bears "Spirit Bears" and giving these animals spiritual significance goes along with the fact that the environmental movement is a religion of emotion and not based on science.

once the "spirit" leaves the body,,,,, it's just another dead bear,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[FirePower]

I'm glad I saw this picture.

The last thing we need in Alberta is for people to start talking about Spirit Bears. This is just a blonde phase Black bear.

I'm surprised that Kiui would post a caption like this. They should know better.

In case they didn't consider the ramifications of calling this bear a "Kermode", I sent this email.

It would be great if some HBC members would send an email to them as well.

Email: album@kuiu.com

Agreed, the site (marc) should send something off it will hold way more weight than any individuals sending emails, that is not to say each and every member shouldn't send something as well. Great letter WB very diplomatic everyone sending emails on this should try to keep them as diplomatic as well, we need allies not adesaries here. Sending mine when I log out.

[Walking Buffalo]

Agreed, the site (marc) should send something off it will hold way more weight than any individuals sending emails, that is not to say each and every member shouldn't send something as well. Great letter WB very diplomatic everyone sending emails on this should try to keep them as diplomatic as well, we need allies not adesaries here. Sending mine when I log out.

Thanks Firepower. I hope we hear from Kuiu soon.

[Walking Buffalo]

I recieved this back from KUIU, and saw that the caption has been changed.

Thanks Kuiu! And to others who wrote in.

Keep Alberta Kermode free, by letter or bullet. :mrgreen:


Hi Dale,


Thanks for writing in. The content on In the Field is user-submitted and cannot be edited by KUIU. However, we understand your concerns and appreciate your feedback. We will look into it further to see if it is possible to have the content edited as requested.

Best,
Veronica
www.kuiu.com (http://www.kuiu.com/)
facebook.com/KUIUultralight (http://facebook.com/KUIUultralight)