Polar Bear Maternal Figure Adopts Youngster in Infrequently Recorded Instance

Scientists monitoring wild polar bears in Canada's northern regions observed something exceedingly rare this fall: a female bear adopting a cub that was not genetically her own.

The five-year-old mother and her nearly year-old cubs were spotted and filmed during the annual polar bear journey along the Hudson Bay's western shore near Churchill, Manitoba, an area renowned for its concentration of Arctic bears.

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

It's only the thirteenth documented instance of fostering out of nearly five thousand bears studied for nearly five decades in the area.

The mother bear was initially tagged as she emerged from her birthing den this springtime. Initially, she had a single offspring, which scientists marked for study.

In the autumn, she was spotted once more, but this time with two cubs - the original cub and another without a tag. Researchers are uncertain what happened to the second cub's birth mother, but they are attempting to identify her using DNA analysis.

"The bears need every advantage they can get these days with climate change," noted a wildlife biologist. "When mother bears have the opportunity to pick up another cub and raise it and see it to independence, it's a positive development for the population."

Polar bears in the wild only have a 50% chance of living into adulthood, but having a maternal figure providing care improves their chances.

The young bears are reported as in good condition, researchers said, and they will probably remain with their adoptive mother until they are about 30 months of age.

Following this, the bear family is anticipated to venture out to sea ice, where the cubs will learn from their mother bear how to catch prey and live on their own.

"It is heartening to know that the animals are caring for each other," added the researcher.