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Scientists tracking wild polar bears in northern Canada observed something remarkably uncommon this fall: a female bear adopting a cub that was not genetically her own.

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

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

This represents only the thirteenth documented instance of adoption out of nearly five thousand bears studied for nearly five decades in that region.

The female bear was first captured as she came out from her birthing den this springtime. At the time, she had a single offspring, which scientists tagged for study.

In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with two cubs - the original cub and another that was untagged. Scientists are uncertain what happened to the second cub's birth mother, but they are attempting to locate her using genetic samples.

"These animals need every advantage they can get these days with a warming climate," noted a wildlife biologist. "When mother bears have the opportunity to take in another cub and care for it and successfully wean it, it's a positive development for the population."

Polar bears in the natural world only have a 50% chance of surviving into maturity, but having a maternal figure caring for them improves their chances.

The young bears appear to be in good condition, according to experts, and they will likely stay with their adoptive mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.

Following this, the family is anticipated to venture out to sea ice, where the cubs will learn from their mother how to hunt seals and survive on their own.

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