The White Grizzly

Exploring the rarity of an Extraordinary Encounter…..

British Columbia’s coastline is a stunning labyrinth of beautiful places… countless fiords and bays, each containing hidden stories and spectacular wildlife. On this summer morning Chris and I joined a friend cruising one of these remote nameless inlet, for a day of wildlife viewing. The scenery was breathtaking, we felt small and insignificant amidst towering snowcapped Coast Mountain Ranges… the freshness of salt air in this wilderness sanctuary was invigorating…. sunny, warm, no wind, and waters so calm they reflected every detail of the inlet’s green mountainsides… a remarkable inspiring landscape to reconnect with nature.

The boat crept forward slowly causing barely a ripple, as harbour seals casually dove beneath the surface and playful sea otters seemed almost amused by our presence. Countless seabird, including murres, grebes, and loon, fed on schools of anchovies and herring. These sardine-sized fish boiled from the depths pursued by salmon below, as flocks of hungry gulls wheeled overhead. On the shore, ravens and crows busily consumed fragments of crustaceans, mussels, and clams, hopping from rock to rock and peering into crevices for hidden morsels. We caught fleeting glimpses of mink and an occasional black-tailed deer as they hurried back into the bordering forest. It felt as though we were witnessing our own private episode of Wild Kingdom, ample reward for venturing into such a remarkable place.

Christine and I were hoping to photograph grizzly bears in these natural surroundings, undisturbed by human activity. Watching these omnivores from a safe distance is an unforgettable and wonderful experience, and British Columbia’s coastal rainforests and rugged mountain fiords are a well-known bear habitats.

My perspective on grizzlies is shaped by encounters in two very different topographies: across the broad Arctic barrens where I spent four years working the Mackenzie River as a young man. Then later in the rugged interior woodlands of British Columbia: canoeing, camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing.

The Arctic’s open terrain and low vegetation made distance a priority when encountering bears of any type. Any large animal’s movement was visible to us as we were to them.… powerful forms rippling with muscle tone as bears ambled effortlessly over the permafrost. They walked cautiously stopping frequently, lifting a massive head to test the air in a never ending hunt against an immense open horizon. In contrast my experience with BC interior grizzlies were far more palpable, intense, and accompanied by ample caution and avoidance. The woodland and shifting light concealed as much as they revealed…. A bear could disappear in a heartbeat as if swallowed by bush and salal, then suddenly and silently reappear uncomfortably closer.

Ultimately, each bear experience was different, yet all reinforced an essential truth: grizzlies are dangerous wild animals! They are not performers or approachable curiosities. Their immense strength, speed, keen senses create unpredictable responses that demand respect. They are a powerful animal that view the world entirely on their terms; a wildness that must never be ignored or underestimated. The tundra, forest, and salmon rich coastal fiords are their home, their territory.

Today searching for grizzlies from the safety of an open boat afforded a measure of security for Christine and I. Then suddenly, idling around a seaweed covered rocky point, a white grizzly appeared! His white colouring is a rare phenomenon that for generations has inspired mythical stories of their ghostly existence. This secluded marine paradise remarkably gave up a secret to Christine and I: a huge magnificent white grizzly bear fifty meters away framed in a setting embraced by the fiord’s spectacular mountains and valley’s pristine beauty. Our day of exploration was elevated to an amazing once-in-a-lifetime outing.

As I write this article it is still difficult to contain excitement over our good fortune. The rarity and privilege of observing a mature white grizzly can scarcely be overstated.

The white bear is not to be confused with the famed spirit bear or Kermode bear, that is a subspecies of the black bear! The magnificent bear before us was unmistakably a grizzly. His dramatic colour departure from norm is a subject of fascinating interest to wildlife enthusiasts and researchers.

We sat in silence awestruck… instantly knowing this memory would be cherished for years to come. The bear’s silhouette glowed against the diffused light bouncing off seaweed covered rocks; it was surreal, an almost mystical scene. We were reminded of legends and folklore of strange animal sightings, stories told around a campfire’s glowing embers. I recalled reading a Lewis and Clark 1800’s reference to “white” grizzly bears in the Columbia river region… Indeed photographs and videos of chance sightings of unusually coloured animals circulate online, white moose, white deer, and white black bears are posted by those eager to delight others and soliciting information from viewers about origins and behaviour.

For Christine and me, the day unfolded naturally in a remote hidden fiord where the unexpected often emerges. The sighting today was illuminating to the preciousness of the Wild Kingdom, offering a rare glimpse into the province’s genetic diversity and the unusual traits that can shape the appearance of wild animals. Such individuals provide researchers with valuable opportunities to study the origins of distinctive colouring, while also reminding us of the importance of protecting these endangered omnivores. Preserving their habitat and maintaining healthy, resilient populations will help ensure that unfettered genetic diversity remains in such places for future generations to enjoy.

White animals are a powerful symbol denoting the wondrous grandeur found in nature…. They are thought to be messengers sanctifying the glory of widlife… their existence weaves into the broader story of responsible stewardship and respect for the land. Today’s good fortune symbolizes the interconnectedness of all living things, enriching the significance of our encounter far beyond a scientific rarity.

Reflecting on our adventure, my perspective on grizzlies is now shaped by three distinct landscapes: crossing the wide Arctic tundra; the dense forests and mountains of British Columbia’s interior; and now the quiet edges of remote coastal estuaries. A grizzly’s powerful profile stands out plainly against an Arctic open horizon; the interior rugged woodland terrain, and shifting light camouflage a bears form; but along the coast L land and water come together exposing the mass of this powerful animal framed by a subtleness of an estuary background.

At the closing of the day every bear encounter carries the same lasting lesson: grizzlies are not performers or curiosities, but powerful wild animals to be viewed from a distance. Respect, patience, and awareness matter: the wind, their body language, the space between us, and every change in topography. To witness a grizzly moving freely, entirely on its own terms, is a privilege. And as the campfire embers fade what stays with me most is the unspoken intensity of grizzly bear encounters. I am constantly reminded that the wild is most remarkable when we leave it undisturbed, wild, and free.

Safe travels,

Gord