This past week a new baby bear showed up. Nothing unusual you say, but this one is special. It is a white grizzly, a female with two siblings. A set of triplets to a female bear who has already raised one set of triplets successfully. We watched last spring as this mother turned her two and a half year old triplets loose onto the world. She then disappeared during the spring mating season and we wondered if she was going to mate and what was the result going to be. This week she showed up at her favorite fishing hole as she did the past two seasons. What a surprise she brought with her. Two very dark colored cubs with a very white with dark highlights cub. These siblings are normal in every way, fun loving, scrappy, hungry, devoted and obedient to Mom. They all try to catch fish, steal a drink of mom's rich milk and watch for dangers. Of course, like all young animals, they are all very cute and cuddly. This brings up the question: Is this a rare grizzly "Spirit Bear?" I am sending photos to smarter people then I am to find out some answers. It is not an Albino.
This brings some pressing questions to mind. How do we protect this precious animal from poachers and of course much easier, licensed hunters? There is still a legal hunt for grizzly bears taking place in this province. It is illegal to hunt cubs or moms with cubs, but once these bears are free from their mothers, they are legal to hunt. What a trophy it would be for a hunter to get: a rare grizzly spirit bear.
Alberta has banned grizzly hunting about two or three years ago. I wonder why the B.C. government insists on a continued hunt for these magnificent animals.
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