Arctic Bear Mother Adopts Cub in Infrequently Recorded Case
Researchers tracking wild polar bears in Canada's northern regions witnessed something remarkably uncommon this fall: a female bear taking in a cub that was not genetically her own.
The five-year-old mother and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were observed and filmed during the yearly polar bear journey along the Hudson Bay's western shore near Churchill, Manitoba, an area known for its concentration of Arctic bears.
"It's unusual," remarked a scientist with a polar bear conservation group. "The reasons are unclear why it occurs...but we know it is a rare event at all."
It's only the thirteenth documented instance of adoption out of nearly five thousand bears studied for nearly five decades in that region.
The mother bear was first captured as she emerged from her maternity den this spring. At the time, she had a single offspring, which researchers marked for research.
In the fall, she was seen again, but this time with two cubs - the original cub and another without a tag. Scientists are uncertain what happened to the second cub's biological mother, but they are attempting to identify her using genetic samples.
"The bears need every advantage they can get in the current era with a warming climate," noted a polar bear scientist. "When mother bears have the chance to pick up an additional youngster and raise it and successfully wean it, it's a good thing for the population."
Polar bears in the wild only have a fifty-fifty survival rate of living into maturity, but having a maternal figure providing care improves their odds.
The cubs appear to be in good condition, according to experts, and they will likely remain with their adoptive 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 learn from their mother 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.
