1Today we continue our series on ecology and conservation
2with a look at a particularly endangered member of the black bear family.
3One in ten black bears is actually born with a white coat,
4which is the result of a special gene that surfaces in a few.
5Local people have named it 'the spirit bear'.
6And according to the legends of these communities,
7its snowy fur brings with it a special power.
8Because of this, it has always been highly regarded by them -
9so much that they do not speak of seeing it to anyone else.
10It is their way of protecting it when strangers visit the area.
11The white bear's habitat is quite interesting.
12The bear's strong relationship with the old-growth rainforest is a complex one.
13The white bear relies on the huge centuries-old trees in the forest in many ways.
14For example, the old-growth trees have extremely long roots
15that help prevent erosion of the soil along the banks of the many fish streams.
16Keeping these banks intact is important
17because these streams are home to salmon,
18which are the bear's main food source.
19In return, the bear's feeding habits nurture the forest.
20As the bears eat the salmon,
21they discard the skin and bones in great amounts on the forest floor,
22which provide vital nutrients.
23These produce lush vegetation that sustains thousands of other types of life forms,
24from birds to insects and more.
25Today, the spirit bear lives off the coast of the province of British Columbia on a few islands.
26There is great concern for their survival
27since it is estimated that less than 200 of these white bears remain.
28The best way to protect them is to make every effort to preserve the delicate balance of their forest environment -
29in other words, their ecosystem.
30The greatest threat to the bear's existence is the loss of its habitat.
31Over many years, logging companies have stripped the land by cutting down a large number of trees.
32In addition, they have built roads which have fractured the areas where the bear usually feeds,
33and many hibernation sites have also been lost.
34The logging of the trees along the streams has damaged the places where the bears fish.
35To make matters worse,
36the number of salmon in those streams is declining
37because there is no legal limit on fishing at the moment.
38All these influences have a negative impact on the spirit bear's very existence,
39which is made all the more fragile
40by the fact that reproduction among these bears has always been disappointingly low.
41And so, what's the situation going forward?
42Community organizations, environmental groups and the British Columbia government
43are now working together on the problem.
44The government is now requiring logging companies
45to adopt a better logging method, which is a positive step.
46However, these measures alone may not be sufficient to ensure a healthy population of the spirit bear in the future.
47Other steps also need to be taken.
48While it is important to maintain the spirit bear's habitat,
49there also needs to be more emphasis on its expansion.
50The move is justified as it will also create space for other bears that are losing their homes...