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Scientists monitoring wild 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 half-decade-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," remarked a scientist with an international bear organization. "We don't really know why it happens...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."

This represents only the thirteenth documented instance of fostering out of nearly five thousand bears studied for almost fifty years in the area.

The mother bear was first captured as she came out from her birthing den this springtime. At the time, she had one cub, which scientists marked for research.

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

"The bears need all the help they can get these days with a warming climate," commented a polar bear scientist. "If females have the opportunity to take in another cub and raise it and see it to independence, it's a good thing for the population."

Polar bears in the wild only have a fifty-fifty survival rate of surviving into adulthood, but having a maternal figure caring for them improves their odds.

The young bears are reported as healthy, according to experts, and they will probably remain with their mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.

Following this, the bear family is anticipated to venture out to the frozen ocean, where the youngsters will be taught from their mother how to catch prey and survive on their own.

"It is heartening to know that the animals are looking out for each other," concluded the scientist.