Bear Watching
European Brown Bears
American Black Bears
Spirit Bears
In spite of being a beautiful honey coloured 'white' spirit bears are in fact black bears. It is on Princess Royal Island that you find the spirit bear. Isolated for thousands of years here, this small community of 'white' black bears inhabits some of the most pristine forests on earth. These all-white bears (which owe their unusual colouring to a double recessive gene) are elusive, with optimum sightings occurring only from the end of August to early October. With the experience and knowledge of Gitga'at native guides, searching for these rare creatures is an adventure in itself and involves boat trips and short walks to reach specially located viewing platforms which offer superb photographic opportunities. The platforms are well positioned above salmon streams and patience is likely to be rewarded not only with spirit bears but black bears fishing for salmon. American Brown (Grizzly) Bears
One of the highest concentrations of the bears in Canada are to be found at the small town of Bella Coola - a hidden gem in British Columbia's remote interior and part of a vast area known as the Great Bear Rainforest. Polar Bears
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is native largely within the Arctic circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. Churchill, Canada is the 'Polar Bear Capital of the World' and the only human settlement where polar bears can be observed in the wild - it lies right in the bears' migratory path. They gather in Churchill on the west coast of Hudson Bay during October and pass through the area until November. |
The European brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) is found across northern Europe, with Finland and Romania deemed to be two of Europe's premier brown bear locations. The remote forests and mountains of central Europe are home to half of Europe's brown bear population. Their 'brown' fur can vary from yellow-brownish to dark brown, red brown, and almost black. The shape of the head is normally quite round with relatively small round ears. Spotting bears in Europe, is a very special wildlife experience, yet close to home and affordable.
The black bear (Ursus americanus) is the most common bear species native to North America. British Columbia on Canada's west coast is by far the best location for seeing both black and brown bears. The ears of a black bear are larger and more erect than those of the brown bear. Bear-watching is highly seasonal and dependent on some of nature's other wonders, particularly the running of salmon in the rivers and streams. Essentially, our summer months are the best for both brown and black bear watching, with many bears being visible in the latter part of the season due to an essential need to gorge themselves before hibernating. 
The brown bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) generally lives in the uplands of western North America. Brown bears have a large hump over their shoulders, which is a muscle mass used to power the forelimbs in digging. 
The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native largely within the Arctic circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses.