Polar Ursine Mother Adopts Cub in Infrequently Recorded Case

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

The half-decade-old mother and her nearly year-old cubs were spotted and captured on camera during the yearly polar bear journey along the Western Hudson Bay near the Manitoba town of Churchill, an area renowned for its concentration of Arctic bears.

"It's unusual," stated a scientist with a polar bear conservation group. "The reasons are unclear why it occurs...but we know it is a rare event at all."

This represents only the 13th known case of fostering out of nearly five thousand bears studied for almost fifty years in the area.

The mother bear was first captured as she emerged from her maternity den this springtime. Initially, she had one cub, which researchers tagged for study.

In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with a pair of cubs - the initially tagged cub and another without a tag. Scientists aren't sure what became of the second cub's biological mother, but they are attempting to identify her using genetic samples.

"The bears need all the help they can get in the current era with climate change," commented a polar bear scientist. "When mother bears have the chance to take in another cub and care for it and successfully wean it, it's a good thing for the bears."

Polar bears in the natural world only have a 50% chance of living into maturity, but having a mother providing care boosts their chances.

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.

Next, the bear family is expected to head out to sea ice, where the cubs will be taught from their mother bear how to hunt seals and survive on their own.

"It's just nice to know that the animals are caring for each other," added the researcher.