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Researchers monitoring wild polar bears in Canada's northern regions observed something exceedingly rare this fall: a mother bear taking in a cub that was not genetically her own.

The half-decade-old mother and her nearly year-old cubs were observed and filmed during the annual polar bear journey along the Western Hudson Bay near the Manitoba town of Churchill, an area renowned for its concentration of Arctic bears.

"This is uncommon," stated a researcher with an international bear organization. "We don't really know why it happens...but we know it is a rare event at all."

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

The female bear was first captured as she came out from her birthing den this springtime. Initially, she had a single offspring, which scientists marked for study.

In the fall, she was spotted once more, but this time with two cubs - the original cub and a second that was untagged. Scientists are uncertain what became of the second cub's biological mother, but they are trying to locate her using genetic samples.

"The bears need all the help they can get these days with a warming climate," noted a wildlife biologist. "When mother bears have the chance to pick up another cub and raise it and see it to independence, it's a positive development for the bears."

Polar bears in the natural world only have a 50% chance of surviving into maturity, but having a mother caring for them boosts their odds.

The young bears appear to be in good condition, according to experts, 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 learn from their mother bear how to hunt seals and live on their own.

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