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

The five-year-old mother and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were observed and captured on camera during the yearly polar bear journey 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 researcher 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 thirteenth documented instance of adoption out of nearly five thousand bears studied for nearly five decades in the area.

The female bear was initially tagged as she emerged from her maternity den this springtime. Initially, she had one cub, which scientists marked for study.

In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with two cubs - the initially tagged cub and another without a tag. Scientists are uncertain what happened to the new cub's biological mother, but they are attempting to identify her using DNA analysis.

"The bears need all the help they can get these days with climate change," commented a polar bear scientist. "When mother bears have the opportunity to pick up an additional youngster and care for it and see it to independence, it's a positive development for the population."

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

The young bears appear to be healthy, according to experts, and they will probably remain with their adoptive mother until they are about 30 months of age.

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

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