Arctic Bear Maternal Figure Adopts Youngster in Rarely Documented Case
Researchers monitoring wild polar bears in Canada's northern regions observed something remarkably uncommon this autumn: a mother bear adopting a cub that was not genetically her own.
The half-decade-old mother and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were observed and filmed during the annual polar bear journey along the Hudson Bay's western shore near the Manitoba town of Churchill, an area renowned for its concentration of Arctic bears.
"This is uncommon," remarked a scientist with an international bear organization. "We don't really know why it happens...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."
It's only the 13th known case of adoption out of nearly five thousand bears researched for nearly five decades in the area.
The mother bear was initially tagged as she came out from her maternity den this springtime. At the time, she had one cub, which researchers marked for research.
In the fall, she was spotted once more, but this time with two cubs - the initially tagged cub and another that was untagged. Scientists aren't sure what became of the new cub's biological mother, but they are attempting to identify her using DNA analysis.
"The bears need every advantage they can get these days with a warming climate," commented a wildlife biologist. "If females have the opportunity to pick up another cub and care for it and see it to independence, it's a positive development for the bears."
Polar bears in the wild only have a 50% chance of living into maturity, but having a mother caring for them improves their chances.
The young bears appear to be in good condition, researchers said, and they will probably stay with their adoptive mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.
Following this, the bear family is expected to head out to the frozen ocean, where the cubs will be taught from their mother how to catch prey and live on their own.
"It's just nice to know that the bears are caring for each other," added the scientist.