Spirit of
the Great Bear

Spirit of the Great Bear journeys into the remote coastal wilderness inhabited by the spirit bear, a rare white-furred form of the Kermode black bear. These remarkable animals have held a place in First Nations oral traditions for generations.

The Great Bear Rainforest is among the largest remaining intact coastal temperate rainforests on Earth. Despite the protection of much of this landscape, spirit bears remain exceptionally rare.

Over the course of a decade, Jack Plant travelled through this remarkable region, documenting its wildlife and landscapes while learning from the First Nations communities who have cared for it over thousands of years.

The photographs capture memorable encounters with spirit bears alongside grizzlies, black bears, wolves, orcas and humpback whales, revealing the extraordinary richness of life along British Columbia's Northwest Coast.

Beyond its wildlife, the book considers the natural and human-caused pressures facing this ecosystem and recognizes the achievements of Indigenous leaders and conservationists in safeguarding its future.

It is a celebration of an extraordinary animal, the wilderness it inhabits and the people whose knowledge and stewardship remain essential to its protection.