[01:30.79]Today we continue our series on ecology and conservation with a look at a particularly endangered member of the black bear family.
[01:41.10] One in ten black bears is actually born with a white coat, which is the result of a special gene that surfaces in a few.
[01:51.48]Local people have named it ‘the spirit bear’.
[01:55.24]And according to the legends of these communities, its snowy fur brings with it a special power.
[02:02.60]Because of this, it has always been highly regarded by them—so much that they do not speak of seeing it to anyone else.
[02:13.50] It is their way of protecting it when strangers visit the area.
[02:17.73]The white bear's habitat is quite interesting.
[02:21.85]The bear's strong relationship with the old-growth rainforest is a complex one.
[02:28.24]The while bear relies on the huge centuries-old trees in the forest in many ways.
[02:35.81]For example, the old-growth trees have extremely long roots that help prevent erosion of the soil along the banks of the many fish streams.
[02:46.44]Keeping these banks intact is important because these streams are home to salmon, which are the bear's main food source.
[02:55.38]In return, the bear s feeding habits nurture the forest.
[03:00.91]As the bears eat the salmon, they discard the skin and bones in great amounts on the forest floor, which provide vital nutrients.
[03:11.00]These produce lush vegetation that sustains thousands of other types of life forms, from birds to insects and more.
[03:21.72] Today, the spirit bear lives off the coast of the province of British Columbia on a few islands.
[03:30.60]There is great concern for their survival since it is estimated that less than two hundred of these white bears remain.
[03:39.90]The best way to protect them is to make every effort to preserve the delicate balance of their forest environment—in other words, their ecosystem.
[03:55.11]The greatest threat to the bear’s existence is the loss of its habitat.
[04:00.52]Over many years, logging companies have stripped the land by cutting down a large number of trees.
[04:08.57]In addition, they have built roads which have fractured the areas where the bear usually feeds, and many hibernation sites have also been lost.
[04:19.75]The logging of the trees along the streams has damaged the places where the bears fish.
[04:26.64]To make matters worse, the number of salmon in those streams is declining because there is no legal limit on fishing at the moment.
[04:36.67]All these influences have a negative impact on the spirit bear's very existence, which is made all the more fragile by the fact that reproduction among these bears has always been disappointingly low.
[04:53.56]And so, what’s the situation going forward?
[04:58.26]Community organizations, environmental groups and the British Columbia government are now working together on the problem.
[05:06.83] The government is now requiring logging companies to adopt a better logging method, which is a positive step.
[05:15.48]However, these measures alone may not be sufficient to ensure a healthy population of the spirit bear in the future.
[05:25.53]Other steps also need to be taken.
[05:28.72]While it is important to maintain the spirit bear's habitat, there also needs to be more emphasis on its expansion.
[05:37.66]The move is justified as it will also create space for other bears that are losing their homes.
