Only one such hybrid bear has ever been seen in the wild, but some have inadvertently been bred in captivity due to being kept in the same enclosure.

Studies of two hybrid bears at Germany’s Osnabruck Zoo indicate that while they inherit characteristics from their parents, they also appear to be a blend of the two species.

Writing in the journal Der Zoologische Garten, several researches say that the hybrid bears have the longer necks typical of polar bears but also sport the small shoulder humps of brown bears.

Hybrids have visible tails, like polar bears, while those of brown bears can barely be seen. The hybrid offspring seem to have more in common with polar bears when it comes to behavior.

The habitats of the two types of bears generally don’t overlap. The animals split into two distinct species around 200,000-300,000 years ago.

But climate change may allow grizzles to migrate northward and interbreed with polar bears, which are being forced to spend more time on the mainland due to loss of sea ice.

Photos: Alexandra Preuss