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Researchers monitoring wild polar bears in northern Canada witnessed something exceedingly rare this fall: a female bear taking in a cub that was not genetically her own.

The half-decade-old maternal bear and her nearly year-old cubs were spotted and captured on camera during the annual polar bear migration along the Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, an area known for its concentration of Arctic bears.

"This is uncommon," stated a scientist with a polar bear conservation group. "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 4,600 bears researched for almost fifty years in the area.

The mother bear was first captured as she emerged from her maternity den this spring. At the time, she had one cub, which scientists marked for research.

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

"These animals need all the help they can get these days with a warming climate," noted a polar bear scientist. "When mother bears have the opportunity to take in another cub and raise it and see it to independence, it's a positive development for the population."

Polar bears in the natural world only have a 50% chance of living into maturity, but having a maternal figure caring for them improves their odds.

The cubs appear to be in good condition, researchers said, and they will likely stay with their mother until they are about two-and-a-half years old.

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

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