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Scientists monitoring free-roaming polar bears in Canada's northern regions witnessed something exceedingly rare this fall: a female bear adopting a cub that was not genetically her own.

The five-year-old maternal bear and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs were spotted and filmed during the yearly polar bear journey along the Hudson Bay's western shore near Churchill, Manitoba, an area known for its polar bear population.

"It's unusual," stated a scientist with an international bear organization. "The reasons are unclear why it happens...but we know it doesn't happen often at all."

This represents only the 13th known case of fostering out of 4,600 bears researched for nearly five decades in the area.

The female bear was first captured as she emerged from her birthing den this spring. At the time, she had a single offspring, which scientists marked for research.

In the autumn, she was spotted once more, but this time with two cubs - the initially tagged cub and a second without a tag. Researchers aren't sure what happened to the second cub's biological mother, but they are trying to locate her using DNA analysis.

"The bears need all the help they can get these days with climate change," noted a polar bear scientist. "When mother bears have the chance to pick up an additional youngster and raise it and see it to independence, it's a good thing for the population."

Polar bears in the natural world only have a 50% chance of living into maturity, but having a maternal figure providing care boosts their chances.

The cubs appear to be healthy, according to experts, and they will probably stay with their adoptive mother until they are about 30 months of age.

Next, the family is expected to head out to the frozen ocean, where the youngsters will be taught from their mother how to catch prey and live on their own.

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