#Repost @natgeo ・・・ Photograph by @paulnicklen while #onassignment for @natgeo. A Kermode Bear, also known as a Spirit Bear falls into a deep sleep under an old-growth red-cedar tree in the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia. A Spirit Bears is actually a black bear that possesses a rare recessive gene that turns their fur completely white. They are not albino. After spending a full day of watching this large male eat salmon in a small creek and then following him through this ancient forest, the highlight of the encounter happened when he let me lean against the same tree he was under and take this portrait. Definitely an encounter that I will never forget. To see a picture of him doing serious battle with another black bear, please follow me on @paulnicklen. #gratitude #nature #bear #spiritbear #kermodebear #wildlife @natgeocreative @thephotosociety #beauty #keepexploring #letsexplore #love #follow #instagood #photooftheday #picoftheday #instagramhub #keepitwild