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

The half-decade-old maternal bear and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were spotted and captured on camera during the annual polar bear migration along the Hudson Bay's western shore near the Manitoba town of Churchill, an locale known for its concentration of Arctic bears.

"It's unusual," stated a researcher with an international bear organization. "The reasons are unclear why it occurs...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."

It's only the thirteenth documented instance of fostering out of 4,600 bears researched for almost fifty years in that region.

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

In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with a pair of cubs - the initially tagged cub and another that was untagged. Scientists are uncertain what became of the new cub's biological mother, but they are trying to identify her using DNA analysis.

"The bears need every advantage they can get in the current era with a warming climate," noted a wildlife biologist. "If females 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 wild only have a fifty-fifty survival rate of living into maturity, but having a mother caring for them boosts their chances.

The cubs are reported as in good condition, researchers said, and they will probably remain with their mother until they are about 30 months of age.

Next, the family is anticipated to head out to the frozen ocean, where the youngsters will be taught from their mother bear how to hunt seals and live on their own.

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