Researchers in northern Canada have seen something special. A five-year-old female polar bear has adopted a young cub. This is very rare. It happened near Churchill, Manitoba. It shows how polar bears behave and adapt. Scientists find this amazing. It is especially interesting because the Arctic environment is changing.
The bear, named X33991, left her den with one cub. Later, she had two cubs. This means she likely took in another cub. This cub was not her own. This kind of adoption is very uncommon. Only twelve similar cases have been seen in almost fifty years.
Scientists call this a "curious behaviour." They think the adopted cub was in trouble. It probably lost its own mother. Female polar bears have a strong motherly feeling. They want to protect young bears. "Female polar bears are excellent mothers," said Evan Richardson. "They like to take care of their babies." If a cub is alone and sad, the mother bear will help.
Researchers are watching the mother bear closely. They use a GPS collar to track her. They also want to find the biological mother of the adopted cub. They are collecting DNA samples. This helps them understand why this happens. The polar bears in this area are studied a lot.
It is hard for polar bear cubs to survive. Only about half reach adulthood. A mother's care helps them live longer. They learn how to hunt seals. They also learn to travel in the Arctic. However, in past adoptions, only three cubs survived to adulthood. This shows how difficult life is for polar bears.
Climate change is also a big problem. It affects the Arctic and the ice. This makes life harder for polar bears. Any successful adoption helps the species survive. This research will teach us more. It shows how polar bears can change their behaviour. It offers hope for their future.