🔗 Share this article

Researchers monitoring free-roaming polar bears in Canada's northern regions witnessed something remarkably uncommon this autumn: a female bear adopting a cub that was not genetically her own.

The half-decade-old maternal bear and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were spotted and filmed during the yearly polar bear journey along the Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, an area renowned for its polar bear population.

"It's unusual," stated a researcher with an international bear organization. "The reasons are unclear why it happens...but we know it is a rare event at all."

It's only the 13th known case of fostering out of 4,600 bears studied for almost fifty years in the area.

The mother bear was first captured as she emerged from her birthing den this spring. At the time, she had a single offspring, which scientists tagged for research.

In the autumn, she was seen again, but this time with a pair of cubs - the initially tagged cub and a second that was untagged. Scientists aren't sure what became of the new cub's biological mother, but they are trying to identify her using genetic samples.

"These animals need every advantage they can get these days with climate change," commented a wildlife biologist. "When mother bears have the chance to pick up another cub and care for it and successfully wean it, it's a positive development for the bears."

Polar bears in the wild only have a 50% chance of surviving into maturity, but having a maternal figure providing care improves their odds.

The cubs are reported as in good condition, according to experts, and they will probably stay with their mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.

Following this, the family is anticipated to head out to sea ice, where the youngsters will be taught from their mother bear how to hunt seals and live on their own.

"It is heartening to know that the bears are caring for each other," concluded the scientist.