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Scientists tracking free-roaming 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 spotted and captured on camera during the yearly polar bear journey along the Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, an area renowned for its polar bear population.

"This is uncommon," remarked a scientist with a polar bear conservation group. "We don't really know why it happens...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."

It's only the 13th known case of adoption out of nearly five thousand bears researched for almost fifty years in the area.

The mother bear was initially tagged as she emerged from her maternity den this spring. 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 initially tagged cub and another without a tag. Scientists aren't sure what happened to the second cub's biological mother, but they are trying to locate her using DNA analysis.

"The bears need every advantage they can get these days with climate change," commented a polar bear scientist. "When mother bears have the opportunity to take in another cub 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 surviving into adulthood, but having a mother providing care improves their chances.

The young bears are reported as healthy, researchers said, and they will likely remain with their adoptive mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.

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

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