December
8,
2009 They make an
unlikely trio,
but Baloo the
bear, Leo the
lion and Shere
Khan the tiger
have forged an
unusually strong
bond. Considering that
they would be
mortal enemies
if they ever
were to meet in
the wild, it is
stunning to see
their unique and
genuine
friendship in
these intimate
pictures. Rescued eight
years ago during
a police drugs
raid in Atlanta,
Georgia, the
three friends
were only cubs
at the time at
barely two
months old.
Jungle japes:
Shere Khan the
tiger, Leo the
lion and Baloo
the bear all
live together in
a
specially-built
enclosure at
Noah's Ark
Animal Rescue
Centre, in
Georgia, USA
They had been
kept as status
symbol pets by
the drug barons. Delivered to the
Noah's Ark
Animal Rescue
Centre in Locust
Grove, Georgia,
the decision was
made to keep the
youngsters
together,
because of their
budding rapport. 'We could have
separated them,
but since they
came as a kind
of family, the
zoo decided to
keep them
together,' said
Diane Smith,
assistant
director of
Noah's Ark.
'To our
knowledge, this
is the only
place where
you'll find this
combination of
animals
together.' Living with the
zoo's founders
for the past
eight years,
Shere Khan,
Baloo and Leo
have now moved
to a
purpose-built
habitat were the
US public can
now witness
first hand their
touching
relationships. Best friends:
The three beasts
have been kept
together since
they were
rescued from
drug barons when
they were just
two months old
'We didn't have
the money to
move them at
first,' said
Diane. 'Now their
habitat is
sorted and they
have been moved
away from the
children's zoo
areas where the
public couldn't
really get a
good look. 'It is possible
to see Baloo,
who is a 1000lb
bear, Shere
Khan, a 350lb
tiger and Leo,
who is also
350lbs, messing
around like
brothers. 'They are
totally
oblivious to the
fact that in any
other
circumstance
they would not
be friends.'
Handled by
Charles and Jama
Hedgecoth, the
zoo's owners and
founders, the
three friendly
giants appear to
have have no
comprehension of
their animal
differences. 'Baloo and Shere
Khan are very
close,' says
Diane. 'That is because
they rise early,
and as Leo is a
lion, he likes
to spend most of
the day
sleeping. 'It is wonderful
and magical to
see a giant
American Black
Bear put his arm
around a Bengal
and then to see
the tiger nuzzle
up to the bear
like a domestic
cat. 'When Leo wakes
up the three of
them mess around
for most of the
day before they
settle down to
some food.'
Larking about:
Noah's Ark owner
Charles
Hedgecoth enjoys
a visit with
Baloo and Shere
Khan
Surprisingly for
three apex
predators with
the power to
kill with a
single bite or
swipe of their
paw, they are
very relaxed
around each
other. 'They eat, sleep
and play
together,' said
Jama. 'As they treat
each other as
siblings they
will lie on top
of each other
for heat and
simply for
affection. 'At the moment
they are getting
used to their
new habitat. 'Shere Khan is
being quite
reticent about
the move, but
Baloo, the bear
is very good at
leading him on
and making him
feel comfortable
and safe.'
Explaining that
the three
'brothers' have
always seemed to
share a unique
bond, Charles
said: 'Noah's
Ark is their
home and they
could not
possibly be
separated from
each other. 'You just have
to remember who
you're dealing
with when you
are with them
though. 'It's when you
forget that
these fellows
are wild animals
that you get
yourself in
trouble.'
The trio's new
habitat cost an
estimated
£15,000 and had
to be
constructed
carefully, in
order to
accommodate its
occupants. Jama said: 'The
clubhouse had to
be very sturdy
for the guys,
because they all
sleep in it
together,'
She added: 'We
had to include a
creek, because
the tiger and
the bear both
like to be in
water.'
Close: The
animals treat
each other as
siblings and
even lie on top
of each other to
share warmth and
affection
