Polar Ursine Mother Takes In Youngster in Infrequently Recorded Case

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

The five-year-old maternal bear and her nearly year-old cubs were observed and captured on camera during the annual polar bear journey along the Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, an area renowned for its concentration of Arctic bears.

"It's unusual," stated a researcher with a polar bear conservation group. "The reasons are unclear why it occurs...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."

It's only the 13th known case of adoption out of 4,600 bears studied for nearly five decades in the area.

The mother bear was first captured as she emerged from her maternity den this spring. At the time, she had one cub, which scientists tagged for study.

In the fall, she was spotted once more, but this time with a pair of cubs - the original cub and a second without a tag. Scientists are uncertain what happened to the second cub's biological mother, but they are attempting to locate her using genetic samples.

"These animals need all the help they can get these days with a warming climate," commented a polar bear scientist. "If females have the chance to pick up an additional youngster and care for it and successfully wean it, it's a good thing for the population."

Polar bears in the wild only have a 50% chance of surviving into adulthood, but having a maternal figure caring for them boosts their chances.

The cubs are reported as healthy, researchers said, and they will likely stay with their mother until they are about 30 months of age.

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