Kermodei Tourism

Bird Watching Photo W.WilsonFrom grizzly bear watching to eagle spotting, wildlife is around every corner. Let a guide lead you to the hidden treasures of the rain forest.

Consider yourself one of the lucky few if you manage to spot our rare, white bear – the Kermodei.

Black bear and grizzly thrive in our region and are extremely well adapted to living in the rain forest. Moose also inhabit river valleys and are known to venture as far uphill as the sub-boreal timber. Be on the look out for wolves as well. It’s not unusual to hear them in the evenings. Virtually all of our high mountains have resident mountain goat populations who may be found along the rugged crags and alpine meadows. Caribou are common to the northern half of the region, and their habitat varies from the high alpine tundra to the old growth forest valley floor.

Kermodei Bear

Kermodei Bear Photo F.SeilerThe Kermodei Bear is a genetic variation of the common Black Bear containing a single recessive gene that is responsible for their white coat that as many as one in ten are born with and retain throughout their lives. The name Kermodei is after B.C.'s early-20th-century provincial museum curator Francis Kermode, the first naturalist to acquire a specimen.

Kermodei bears thrive in their lush rainforest home on a diet of green plants, berries and salmon. In the winter, they hibernate in dry cavities inside giant old trees, protected from howling winter storms. The hibernating bear slowly digests its stored body fat. One amazing thing about these bears (and grizzly bears) is that their young are often born in the middle of winter, while the mother bear is still in hibernation. The tiny bear cubs, born blind and defenceless, stay in the den until spring, when the mother wakes and takes them on their first foray into the larger world of the rainforest.

Kermodei Bear Photo Mark Chevrier

Oolichan

If the timing is right, people visiting Terrace in the spring may be able to see a uniqueOolichans Photo F.Seilerphenomenon unfold in the river, the oolichan run.

Oolichans, nicknamed ‘Candlefish’, ‘Starvation Fish’ or ‘Canary of the River’ are a key species as they are the first major fish to arrive in our coastal river systems bringing nutrients and food for wildlife, as well as, the mating eagles together.

Notice how some of the Oolichan’s eyes are red in this picture. When all of their eyes are red, they are ready for cooking. Once the oil is extracted, many folks use it to compliment a meal or for trading stock.