Glacier National Park Welcomes Albino Black Bear

© Derek Reich - Fish, Wildlife and Parks

Glacier National Park has opened its doors to a new, and very rare, resident: an albino black bear.

In mid-October, residents of Olney, MT reported a pale-colored bear to Tim Manley, a grizzly bear management specialist for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. He quickly set up a culvert trap and within a few days, captured the bear.

The albino black bear was a 4-year-old male weighing about 150 pounds. Residents urged Manley to move the bear somewhere more secure as the bear would be a target during hunting season. He contacted Glacier National Park biologist John Waller and the bear was approved for relocation.

This an exciting time for the park as albino bears typically do not survive very long because they often have vision problems.