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Researchers tracking free-roaming polar bears in Canada's northern regions witnessed something remarkably uncommon this autumn: a female bear taking in a cub that was not biologically her own.

The five-year-old mother and her nearly year-old cubs were observed and filmed during the yearly polar bear journey along the Hudson Bay's western shore near Churchill, Manitoba, an area renowned for its polar bear population.

"This is uncommon," remarked a scientist with an international bear organization. "The reasons are unclear why it happens...but we know it is a rare event at all."

This represents only the thirteenth documented instance of adoption out of 4,600 bears researched for almost fifty years in that region.

The female bear was initially tagged as she emerged from her birthing den this spring. At the time, she had one cub, which scientists marked for research.

In the autumn, she was spotted once more, but this time with two cubs - the original cub and another that was untagged. Scientists are uncertain what became of the new cub's birth mother, but they are attempting to locate her using genetic samples.

"The bears need every advantage they can get in the current era with climate change," noted a polar bear scientist. "When mother bears have the chance to take in an additional youngster and raise it and successfully wean it, 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 mother caring for them improves their odds.

The young bears are reported as in good condition, according to experts, and they will likely stay with their adoptive mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.

Following this, the family is anticipated to head out to the frozen ocean, where the youngsters will learn from their mother bear how to hunt seals and survive on their own.

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