{"id":590035,"date":"2026-04-17T16:08:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T16:08:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/590035\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T16:08:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T16:08:13","slug":"photographers-journey-deep-into-candian-rainforest-to-find-rare-spirit-bear","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/590035\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographer’s Journey Deep into Candian Rainforest to Find Rare Spirit Bear"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AJack Plant\/Figure 1 Publishing <\/p>\n

In 2011, as a teenager, photographer Jack Plant encountered a cover of National Geographic featuring the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia. Captivated by the image \u2014 and the story of a rare white bear living in one of the world\u2019s last untouched wildernesses \u2014 it was a life-defining moment. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe photograph on that cover is still one of my all-time favorites,\u201d Plant says. \u201cPaul Nicklen was the photographer, and I still thank him today for introducing me to this place. That moment sparked something in me. Over time, it became clear that this rainforest wasn\u2019t just somewhere I wanted to visit, but somewhere I needed to return to, again and again.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"AA black bear and a spirit bear argue over salmon. | Jack Plant\/Figure 1 Publishing \"ASpirit bears, also known as Kermode bears, are a subspecies of black bears; they\u2019re not albino. <\/p>\n

Over a decade later, that fascination has become Spirit of the Great Bear, an immersive journey into the rainforest and the fragile world of the spirit bear, the elusive white-furred Kermode bear. With as few as 100 remaining, it stands as a powerful symbol of both the richness and vulnerability of the natural world.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re rarer than most people realize,\u201d says Plant. \u201cPersonally, I don\u2019t believe there are many more than 50, and even that estimate may be too high. Research is incredibly difficult \u2014 how do you study such an elusive animal in such a vast landscape of fjords, inlets, and hidden ecosystems?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMany of the spirit bear photos you see online are actually of just two or three well-known bears that frequent specific areas,\u201d he continues. \u201cFinding a new bear is extraordinarily challenging. I\u2019ve spent countless days searching alongside the team at Spirit Bear Lodge, and more often than not, we come up empty-handed. But every so often, we strike gold, and those moments make all the effort worthwhile.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"AnChief Heey\u2019maas Ernest Charlie Mason Jr. of Kitasoo\/Xai\u2019xais First Nation in the community of Klemtu. \"AMercedes Robinson of the Kitasoo\/Xai\u2019xais First Nation. <\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Plant enlisted the help of First Nations communities, who generously shared traditional knowledge with him. Plant was adopted by Hereditary Chief Charlie Mason of Kitasoo\/Xai\u2019xais First Nation in the community of Klemtu. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t just walk into this wilderness and spend time with bears,\u201d Plant explains. \u201cThe people here know more about the land and its inhabitants than anyone. When you take the time to listen and learn from them, it changes everything, like how you see the animals, how you move through the landscape and how you behave. I\u2019ve come away with extraordinary experiences, yes, but also with friendships, wisdom, and a sense of family that I never expected.\u201d <\/p>\n

\"APhotographed in Khutze Inlet, British Columbia, Canada. 2019<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Spirit of the Great Bear features photographic accounts of Plant\u2019s wild and memorable encounters with the white bears, as well as with other extraordinary species found in the Great Bear Rainforest, including grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, orcas, and humpback whales. <\/p>\n

\u201cIf this book inspires even one person to pursue conservation or photography, I\u2019ll consider that a win,\u201d he says. \u201cBut my deeper hope is that it reaches the hearts of wild souls \u2014 those yearning for a new passion, a new place, or a journey into a world they\u2019ve never experienced before. And ultimately, I hope readers come away understanding that this monumental habitat requires ongoing protection \u2014 not just now, but continuously, forever.\u201d <\/p>\n

Spirit of the Great Bear is published by Figure 1<\/a> available for pre-order now. <\/p>\n

Image credits: Photographs from Spirit of the Great Bear \u00a9 2026 Jack Plant. Reprinted with permission from Figure 1 Publishing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Jack Plant\/Figure 1 Publishing In 2011, as a teenager, photographer Jack Plant encountered a cover of National Geographic…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":590036,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[7438,257692,257693,257694,79,257695,201],"class_list":{"0":"post-590035","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-wildlife","8":"tag-bear","9":"tag-britishcolumbia","10":"tag-kermodebear","11":"tag-pacificnorthwest","12":"tag-science","13":"tag-spiritbear","14":"tag-wildlife"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=590035"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/590035\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/590036"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=590035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=590035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=590035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}