Polar bear mother adopts cub in rarely documented case

Researchers in northern Canada observed a rare polar bear adoption near Churchill, Manitoba, documenting only the 13th known case in nearly five decades of studying the area's 4,600 bears. A five-year-old mother bear, initially seen with one cub this spring, was observed this fall with two cubs, one of which was not her biological offspring. Scientists are unsure of the adopted cub's origins but are attempting to identify its biological mother through genetic samples. This adoption is considered beneficial for the species, as polar bear cubs face a high mortality rate, and maternal care significantly improves their chances of survival. The cubs are expected to remain with their adoptive mother for about two-and-a-half years, learning essential hunting skills before venturing out on their own.

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