 VICTORIA – Legislation to make the B.C. Spirit Bear the official provincial mammal emblem of British Columbia was introduced today by Premier Gordon Campbell, fulfilling a commitment made in this year’s throne speech.
“The Spirit Bear is a magnificent symbol for our province, embodying the unique character of B.C.’s natural environment and the rich culture and heritage of our Aboriginal people,” Campbell said.
“Earlier this year we acted to protect forever critical habitat for the Spirit Bear on B.C.’s Central and North Coast. Recognizing the Spirit Bear as our official provincial mammal is one more step we can take to demonstrate the profound appreciation British Columbians have not just for this remarkable animal but for the history and environment it symbolizes.”
The Provincial Symbols and Honours Amendment Act, 2006, will add the Spirit Bear (also known as the Kermode Bear) to the list of B.C.’s official symbols. B.C.’s other official symbols include:
- the Pacific Dogwood (B.C.’s floral emblem);
- Jade (B.C.’s mineral emblem);
- the Western Red Cedar (B.C.’s arboreal emblem);
- the Steller’s Jay (B.C.’s bird emblem); and,
- the British Columbia Tartan (a blue, white, green, red and gold tartan).
Premier Campbell also unveiled a new Spirit Bear display in the natural history gallery at the Royal B.C. Museum. The display features three specimens of the Spirit Bear that have not been displayed in over 40 years and were originally acquired over 100 years ago by Francis Kermode, the former director of the museum after whom the Kermode Bear was named.
On Feb. 7, the Province joined with First Nations, industry, conservationists, communities and other stakeholders to announce new land use decisions for the Central Coast and North Coast that will protect a total of 1.8 million hectares. That protected area includes more than 200,000 hectares of the Spirit Bear’s habitat, including the more than 103,000 hectare Kitasoo Spirit Bear Conservancy on Princess Royal Island which is home to the greatest concentration of Spirit Bears in B.C. |
