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Scientists monitoring wild polar bears in Canada's northern regions observed 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 spotted and filmed during the yearly polar bear migration along the Hudson Bay's western shore near Churchill, Manitoba, an area renowned for its concentration of Arctic bears.

"It's unusual," stated a researcher with an international bear organization. "We don't really know why it occurs...but we know it is a rare event at all."

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

The female bear was first captured as she came out from her maternity den this springtime. Initially, she had one cub, which researchers tagged for research.

In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with a pair of cubs - the original cub and another without a tag. Scientists aren't sure what happened to the second cub's birth mother, but they are trying to locate her using DNA analysis.

"The bears need every advantage they can get in the current era with a warming climate," noted a polar bear scientist. "If females have the chance to pick up an additional youngster and raise it and see it to independence, it's a good thing for the bears."

Polar bears in the wild only have a fifty-fifty survival rate of surviving into adulthood, but having a mother providing care improves their chances.

The young bears are reported as in good condition, researchers said, 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 sea ice, where the cubs will be taught from their mother how to catch prey and live on their own.

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