A case of offspring adoption in free-ranging polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Abstract

During a study of the reproductive ecology of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in western Hudson Bay (Canada), we documented a case of litter adoption. In an eight-month period, a ten-year-old adult female lost a litter of two cubs-of-the-year and adopted three other cubs-of-the-year. This is the first reported case of natural offspring adoption in polar bears, and its significance as a reproductive strategy is unknown. Nevertheless, the observation raises questions regarding the social circumstances under which adoption may occur and the benefits or costs to maternal fitness in a solitary mammal such as the polar bear.