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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 10- to 11-month-old cubs were observed and filmed during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, an locale renowned for its polar bear population.

"It's unusual," remarked a scientist 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 thirteenth documented instance of adoption out of 4,600 bears researched for nearly five decades in that region.

The female bear was initially tagged as she came out from her birthing den this spring. At the time, she had a single offspring, which scientists marked for research.

In the autumn, she was spotted once more, but this time with two cubs - the initially tagged cub and a second that was untagged. Researchers are uncertain what became of the new cub's biological mother, but they are trying to identify her using DNA analysis.

"The bears need every advantage they can get these days with a warming climate," commented a polar bear scientist. "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 fifty-fifty survival rate of surviving into maturity, but having a maternal figure providing care boosts their odds.

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

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

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