Rare Polar Bear Adoption Could Save Cub's Life
Scientists in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada (known as the polar bear capital of the world) have confirmed that a wild female polar bear has adopted a cub that is not her own. This rare behavior was captured on cameras during the polar bear's annual migration along Western Hudson Bay.
Researchers from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Polar Bears International spotted the mother bear (designated as bear X33991) in spring 2025, when she emerged from her maternity den. At the time, she had only one tagged cub. When she was spotted again in the fall, the bear had two cubs - one with a tag and one without, indicating the second cub was not hers.
The cubs are around 10-11 months old and are known as Cubs of the Year (COYS). According to Polar Bears International, both cubs appear to be healthy. They will generally stay with their mother for another year and a half and will be weaned when they are around 2.5 years old.
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Start Your News DetoxThe survival rate for a polar bear cub into adulthood is about 50%. However, having a mother provides a better chance at survival for the adopted cub. Researchers do not believe that cub adoption is related to climate change, but rather a strong maternal behavior that causes female polar bears to care for other offspring.
