A Case of Offspring Adoption in Free-ranging Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus)

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...

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Published in:ARCTIC
Main Authors: Atkinson, S.N., Cattet, M.R.L., Polischuk, S.C., Ramsay, M.A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Arctic Institute of North America 1996
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64242
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spelling ftunivcalgaryojs:oai:journalhosting.ucalgary.ca:article/64242 2023-05-15T14:19:10+02:00 A Case of Offspring Adoption in Free-ranging Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus) Atkinson, S.N. Cattet, M.R.L. Polischuk, S.C. Ramsay, M.A. 1996-01-01 application/pdf https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64242 eng eng The Arctic Institute of North America https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64242/48177 https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64242 ARCTIC; Vol. 49 No. 1 (1996): March: 1–106; 94-96 1923-1245 0004-0843 polar bear Ursus maritimus litter adoption maternal fitness ours polaire adoption de litière santé maternelle info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion research-article 1996 ftunivcalgaryojs 2022-03-22T21:21:24Z 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 raised 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. Au cours d'une étude portant sur l'écologie de la reproduction des ours polaires (Ursus maritimus) dans la partie ouest de la baie d'Hudson (Canada), on a documenté un cas d'adoption de litière. Au cours d'une période de huit mois, une femelle adulte de dix ans a perdu sa litière de deux petits âgés de moins d'un an et adopté trois autres petits de l'année. Cet événement est le premier cas d'adoption naturelle que l'on ait rapporté chez l'ours polaire, et on n'en a pas encore mesuré l'importance en tant que stratégie de reproduction. L'observation soulève cependant des questions concernant les conditions sociales dans lesquelles peut se produire l'adoption et les avantages ou les coûts pour la santé maternelle chez un mammifère solitaire tel que l'ours polaire. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Baie d'Hudson Hudson Bay ours polaire Ursus maritimus University of Calgary Journal Hosting Baie d'Hudson ENVELOPE(-78.666,-78.666,58.417,58.417) Baie-d'Hudson ENVELOPE(-74.999,-74.999,58.500,58.500) Canada Hudson Hudson Bay ARCTIC 49 1
institution Open Polar
collection University of Calgary Journal Hosting
op_collection_id ftunivcalgaryojs
language English
topic polar bear
Ursus maritimus
litter adoption
maternal fitness
ours polaire
adoption de litière
santé maternelle
spellingShingle polar bear
Ursus maritimus
litter adoption
maternal fitness
ours polaire
adoption de litière
santé maternelle
Atkinson, S.N.
Cattet, M.R.L.
Polischuk, S.C.
Ramsay, M.A.
A Case of Offspring Adoption in Free-ranging Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus)
topic_facet polar bear
Ursus maritimus
litter adoption
maternal fitness
ours polaire
adoption de litière
santé maternelle
description 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 raised 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. Au cours d'une étude portant sur l'écologie de la reproduction des ours polaires (Ursus maritimus) dans la partie ouest de la baie d'Hudson (Canada), on a documenté un cas d'adoption de litière. Au cours d'une période de huit mois, une femelle adulte de dix ans a perdu sa litière de deux petits âgés de moins d'un an et adopté trois autres petits de l'année. Cet événement est le premier cas d'adoption naturelle que l'on ait rapporté chez l'ours polaire, et on n'en a pas encore mesuré l'importance en tant que stratégie de reproduction. L'observation soulève cependant des questions concernant les conditions sociales dans lesquelles peut se produire l'adoption et les avantages ou les coûts pour la santé maternelle chez un mammifère solitaire tel que l'ours polaire.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Atkinson, S.N.
Cattet, M.R.L.
Polischuk, S.C.
Ramsay, M.A.
author_facet Atkinson, S.N.
Cattet, M.R.L.
Polischuk, S.C.
Ramsay, M.A.
author_sort Atkinson, S.N.
title A Case of Offspring Adoption in Free-ranging Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus)
title_short A Case of Offspring Adoption in Free-ranging Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus)
title_full A Case of Offspring Adoption in Free-ranging Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus)
title_fullStr A Case of Offspring Adoption in Free-ranging Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus)
title_full_unstemmed A Case of Offspring Adoption in Free-ranging Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus)
title_sort case of offspring adoption in free-ranging polar bears (ursus maritimus)
publisher The Arctic Institute of North America
publishDate 1996
url https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64242
long_lat ENVELOPE(-78.666,-78.666,58.417,58.417)
ENVELOPE(-74.999,-74.999,58.500,58.500)
geographic Baie d'Hudson
Baie-d'Hudson
Canada
Hudson
Hudson Bay
geographic_facet Baie d'Hudson
Baie-d'Hudson
Canada
Hudson
Hudson Bay
genre Arctic
Baie d'Hudson
Hudson Bay
ours polaire
Ursus maritimus
genre_facet Arctic
Baie d'Hudson
Hudson Bay
ours polaire
Ursus maritimus
op_source ARCTIC; Vol. 49 No. 1 (1996): March: 1–106; 94-96
1923-1245
0004-0843
op_relation https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64242/48177
https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/arctic/article/view/64242
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