Rare adoption observed among wild polar bears
Researchers in northern Canada have witnessed a highly unusual event: a polar bear mother adopting a cub that is not her own. The five-year-old female and her 10- to 11-month-old cubs appeared on camera during the annual polar bear migration along Western Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba, a region famous for its polar bear population.
Alyssa McCall, a scientist at Polar Bears International, said in a video, “It’s unusual. We don’t really know why it happens, but we know it’s extremely rare.” This marks only the 13th adoption among nearly 4,600 bears studied over almost five decades.
Observation and tagging of the mother bear
Scientists first observed the mother emerging from her maternity den this spring with a single cub, which they tagged for research. Later in the year, they saw her with two cubs—her original tagged cub and another untagged cub. Researchers are using genetic analysis to identify the second cub’s biological mother.
Evan Richardson, a polar bear scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, noted, “The bears need all the help they can get these days with climate change. If a female can adopt another cub and successfully raise it, it strengthens the population in Churchill.”
Survival and future of the cubs
In the wild, cubs have only about a 50% chance of reaching adulthood. Having a mother’s care increases their odds. Researchers report that both cubs appear healthy and will likely stay with their mother until around two-and-a-half years old.
Next, the family will head to the sea ice, where the cubs will learn hunting skills, especially how to catch seals and survive independently. Richardson added, “It’s heartening to see that these bears look out for each other.”
