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Scientists monitoring wild polar bears in Canada's northern regions observed something remarkably uncommon this autumn: a female bear adopting a cub that was not biologically her own.

The half-decade-old maternal bear and her nearly year-old cubs were observed and filmed during the yearly polar bear migration along the Hudson Bay's western shore near the Manitoba town of Churchill, an area known for its polar bear population.

"This is uncommon," stated a scientist with a polar bear conservation group. "The reasons are unclear why it happens...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."

This represents only the 13th known case of adoption out of nearly five thousand bears studied for nearly five decades in that region.

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

In the autumn, she was spotted once more, but this time with two cubs - the original cub and a second without a tag. Scientists aren't sure what became of the second cub's biological mother, but they are trying to locate her using genetic samples.

"These animals need all the help they can get in the current era with a warming climate," commented a wildlife biologist. "When mother bears have the opportunity to take in an additional youngster and raise it and successfully wean it, it's a positive development for the population."

Polar bears in the natural world only have a fifty-fifty survival rate of living into maturity, but having a mother caring for them boosts their odds.

The young bears appear to be in good condition, researchers said, and they will probably remain with their mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.

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

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