Wildlife photographerJenny Stevensfirst heard of thespirit bearor Kermode bearin 2013.
But it wasn’t until several years later that she would have a chance to photograph this rare animal.
All Stevens had to do was watch and wait for the special animal to appear.
Their white color is triggered by a mutation in a gene that blocks the production of melanin.
Two black Kermode bears can reproduce and have a white Kermode bear if both parents have this recessive gene.
This phenomenon is known as positive assortative mating.
Their appearance gives spirit bears a distinct advantage when it comes to hunting.
Studies have shown that spirit bears are 35% more effective in catching salmon when hunting during the day.
Luckily, the subspecies is not in danger of extinction.
In 2012, the coastal First Nations banned trophy hunting of all bears in the Great Bear Rainforest.
Mother Nature can be magical.
While Kermode bears are usually black, some bears are white due to a genetic mutation.
These excellent hunters aren’t albino, as their skin and eyes do have pigmentation.
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