Not all black bears are black. The species can come in a variety of colors from black to brown, cream, white, or blue. The blue bears, or Glacier bears, are silvery blue and a rare treat to see. Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska is where most of the blue bear population is concentrated, although they are sometimes spotted in the Tongass National Forest or in Juneau. Visit Glacier Bay National Park near Juneau to have a chance at seeing a rare blue Glacier bear in the wild.
Glacier Bay National Park is in Southeast on the Alaska panhandle to the west of Juneau. This area is strikingly beautiful with crisp mountains and deep blue seas.
In total, the park and preserve cover 5,130 square miles, most of which is designated wilderness area. Most visitors access the park by sea or float plane.
Glacier bears are a unique variation of the black bear and were designated as the subspecies of the American Black Bear as Ursus americanus emmonsii in 1895.
The "blue" coloring of the bears fur is a recessive gene and hair color appears to be the only difference. Glacier bears are some of the most rare bears in the world, with little information known about them or their population.
Another subspecies of American black bear is the Kermode bear (Ursus americanus kermodei) that appear white. They are also called Spirit Bears and live exclusively in the coastal rainforests on the islands off British Columbia, Canada.
Visit Glacier Bay National Park to see the habitat of the rare Glacier Bear, and maybe catch a glimpse of this beautiful creature found only in Alaska.
