Canadian researchers have reported a rare occurrence in wildlife: a polar bear has adopted a cub that is not her own, observed in northern Canada. Footage captured shows this polar bear caring for the unfamiliar cub.

Evan Richardson, a scientist from Canada's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, noted that such adoptions by polar bears are quite uncommon, with only 13 cases recorded in a 45-year study of the population. The video was taken during the annual migration of polar bears in western Hudson Bay, known as the "polar bear capital of the world."

Researchers first encountered the mother bear in the spring when she emerged from her den with a tagged cub. A few weeks later, they found her again, this time with a second untagged cub. Richardson stated that data analysis revealed she had adopted another cub.

The recorded videos show the cubs moving through a snowy landscape with the mother following behind. Currently, there are about 26,000 polar bears worldwide. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists polar bears as vulnerable, highlighting sea ice loss due to climate change as their greatest threat.