Kermode adopted

The all-white Spirit Bear (Kermode) has been adopted by British Columbia as its official mammal.

It is estimated there are about 400 Kermode bears in the province. They are part of the black bear family and inhabit the central coast and the northern parts of the province, areas the government acted to protect this year.

"Recognizing the Spirit Bear as our offical 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," Premier Gordon Campbell said. He thinks it would make a great mascot for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

"I think it reflects a symbol of B.C. that everyone can embrace, of not just our natural history, but our Aboriginal history."