There’s actually a biological principle to describe the phenomenon Dave is reporting–Bergman’s Rule, as I recall. The higher the latitude, the darker the coat will be on most animals, because that means less reflective heat loss. (This doesn’t override the need for camouflage, which is why polar bears and Dall sheep are white.) The rule explains the high incidence of “color phase” black bears in our Southwest. And although I’m sure I’ve glassed over a thousand Alaska black bears, I’ve only seen one that was anything other than black. Don