Princess Royal Island, an uninhabited spot of land off the coast of British Columbia, is the home of the rare Kermode bear, a variety of grizzly bear. Also called the white, ghost, or spirit bear, it has long been the subject of myth, curiosity, and fascination to humans. Until recently, these animals had never been exposed to civilization.
Now reissued with a new introduction by the author, Spirit Bear is the story of Charles Russell's quest to forge a unique relationship of mutual trust with the rare spirit bear of Princess Royal Island. Russell was on the island to help Jeff and Sue Turner with their film, Island of the Ghost Bear. During the course of the shoot, he became intrigued with, and eventually befriended the shy young Spirit Bear who was the subject of the film.
Russell has spent many years studying bears in their natural habitat. In this book he describes his early encounters, shared with his father, well-known writer Andy Russell, with bears in the Rockies and Alaska, and his encounters with grizzlies in British Columbia's Khutzeymateen Valley.
This wonderful book, which is illustrated with 100 breathtaking color photographs, is part of an ongoing effort by conservationists to save Princess Royal Island as a sanctuary for the Kermode bear.
