Hi guys, What do we know about cheetahs? Many of you probably know that cheetahs
are predators of the family Felidae, native to most countries of Africa and the
Middle East. They are also the fastest of all land mammals - they can accelerate to 110
km/h in just 3 seconds. Looking at cheetahs, you understand clearly - nature created these
animals to be skillful and fast predators. But this is just some general
information from Wikipedia, meanwhile, an American zoo has recently shown
the true nature of these graceful huge cats. These videos and photographs were
initially shocking to many viewers, but after learning the story behind them, the
surprised people watched them with fascination. Caretakers in one of the US zoos have recently
brought small puppies to the cheetah’s enclosure and left them there to live! Looking at it,
one could expect the worst – defenseless little pups facing the monstrous predators…
But things aren’t always as they seem. In fact, this was an intentional move by the
zookeepers, which was supposed to relieve the loneliness that the big cats were suffering
from. It isn’t common knowledge, but cheetahs are freedom-loving, gregarious animals. So
obviously, the limited space and loneliness of life in captivity causes them lots of stress.
Moreover, these big cats often have anxiety attacks. They rush about in their cages, acting
restlessly, and they need emotional support. That’s why puppies are brought to live
with cheetahs. And it’s not just about cohabitation - as it turns out, dogs are
great at getting along with these predators. Of course, if you bring a
puppy into an adult cat’s cage, nothing good will come out of it, as the
cheetah will simply treat it as lunch. However, a cheetah cub willingly comes in contact
with a puppy, they start playing and socializing. A nervous cub grows into a cheerful pet that
trusts people, just like a dog does. Growing up side by side, these animals become kind,
and, most importantly, make friends for life. What is more amazing, they always recognize
each other even after years of separation. This kind of story happened to Kumbali, a cheetah
cub born on May 12, 2015 at the Metro Richmond Zoo. Unlike his siblings, he was born very weak,
so weak that he couldn’t even fight for food. His siblings hurt him, and he kept losing weight
and became weaker every day. This cute little animal could have died, if it wasn’t for
the concern of the zoo keepers who decided to take decisive measures. They understood
that the cub’s life was hanging by a thread, and so they took him away from his mother to be
bottle-fed. Over time, the cub gained strength and was able to eat on its own. Later, Kumbali
was returned to his family’s enclosure, but, unfortunately, as it often happens in the animal
world, the family rejected him. It was a difficult time for Kumbali - his family wouldn’t accept him,
and even though he was already physically healthy and very active, it was clear that he was missing
something. He felt abandoned and depressed, lying down and staring into space all the time.
Kumbali was obviously suffering from loneliness. The caretakers could no longer endure this
heartbreaking sight and came to his rescue again. They decided that, since his family rejected him,
he needed a companion. That’s exactly what he got, but a little later. As a matter
of fact, finding a friend for the cheetah turned out to be a challenge. A
lot had to be taken into account – age, size and a dozen other things... And yet, they
managed to find a perfect friend for Kumbali. Kago was a rescue puppy adopted from an
animal shelter. He was saved from being put down. Even despite his young age, the poor
puppy had already endured many hardships. He had been kept in dire conditions,
in a shelter where dogs had no future. However, when animal rights
activists discovered the place, they took pets to new shelters and started looking
for new loving owners for them. That’s how the zoo employees found Kago. The playful puppy was
perfect for the role of Kumbali's companion, and he was of the same age. However, no one
knew for sure if they would like each other and make friends, or if nothing would come of it.
After all, new neighbors don’t always get along. Their first meeting was very exciting.
When Kumbali and Kago saw each other, they were quite timid. They looked at each other
with apprehension and certain distrust. However, a real miracle happened very soon...
Kago slowly walked towards Kumbali, sniffed him, and a moment later it
was clear that he liked Kumbali. He started pouncing and biting the baby
cheetah, who, in turn, couldn’t understand what was happening and why this creature
was dragging his tail with its teeth. At first, the little cheetah was baffled by the
sight of this new creature in front of him, but soon he also began to show interest in the dog.
As it turned out, Kago's curiosity and friendly nature soon did its job, thereby proving once
again that dogs are the best companions to anyone. However, the zoo employees couldn’t even
imagine that the friendship between the two different species, albeit with
the same fate, would be that strong. Nobody expected what this
friendship would result in... Over time, Kumbali simply refused to leave
his new friend’s side, and they even had to be put together in one enclosure. Their brotherly
bond grew stronger and stronger with every day, and they played together all
day long, inventing new games. Zoo visitors adored their
games of hide-and-seek and tag. This couple spent their days fooling around
together, not even noticing that they were growing up quickly. It’s also surprising
that Kago always protected his wild brother, while Kumbali, despite being a predator, let his
friend eat first, patiently waiting his turn. It seemed the two were unaware of being in
the zoo. They paid no attention to people at all and played in the fresh air for days
on end. They became truly inseparable, sleeping together and giving
each other hugs all the time. From the moment of their first encounter,
these two have been doing absolutely everything together - from sleeping to
eating and playing in the fresh air. Every year, zoo workers give them presents,
because their birthdays are on the same day now. Kago and Kumbali even open
gifts together, like brothers. In several years spent together,
their relationship developed into something much more than just friendship.
Their special bond has made them friendlier to others – they are always eager to meet new
inhabitants of the zoo, and, of course, people. Watching the happy buddies is a true pleasure, and they’ve already become the
informal face of this place. Not so long ago, a bunch of other tough
guys moved into the neighboring enclosure, and they aren’t to be messed with! We’re
talking about penguins, of course. Initially, they all watched each other with apprehension,
but when the caretakers allowed Kago and Kumbali to visit their new neighbors, something incredible
happened. In the first seconds of this encounter, the penguins pecked at their visitors,
but they soon began playing with them, each in their own way. And it really looked
very funny. But the funniest one was, probably, their recent neighbor - a little pig, who
now gets on this couple’s nerves the most. They don’t know it yet, but this little
pig chasing after them will soon become a huge 100-kilogram animal… and then it will
be even more interesting to watch them play. It’s been a while since these two animals
met, but the cheetah and the dog continue living in the same enclosure and enjoying
every new day. They do everything together, entertaining visitors with their playful
races, cute hugs and tender relationship. Thus, this story once again proves to all
of us that even different species of animals can get along well and create incredibly strong
friendships, which isn’t always true for people. Perhaps we have something to learn from them. So, guys, did you like this unusual
couple? Do you believe in true friendship? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget
to subscribe to our channel. See you soon! Bye.
