5 Unlikely Real-Life Animal Friendships

Out in the wild, animals don’t typically make friends across species lines. They may share a habitat and learn to tolerate one another, but forming a close bond is rare. But under the right circumstances, animals can become surprisingly close companions.

Scientists are still learning how animals experience emotions and form social attachments. Although their inner lives remain difficult to fully understand, these unusual friendships offer a glimpse into the connections animals can form. Here are five of the most heartwarming, real-life examples.

Owen the Hippo and Mzee the Tortoise

In late 2004, a young hippopotamus became separated from his family in the waters of Kenya’s Sabaki River. Rescuers brought the hippo, Owen, to Mombasa’s Haller Park wildlife sanctuary, where he happened to meet an unlikely companion: Mzee, an Aldabra giant tortoise estimated to be around 130 years old at the time.

Witnesses at the sanctuary describe Owen immediately running to Mzee and crouching behind the tortoise — not unlike how a baby hippo may hide behind its mother. The two began eating, swimming, and sleeping together, and Mzee’s guidance gradually helped Owen adjust to his new surroundings.

Owen’s time with Mzee came to an end when the hippo was introduced to Cleo, a female hippo, about three years later, but not before inspiring a children’s book about the pair’s friendship. 

Tarra the Elephant and Bella the Dog

Tarra, an Asian elephant, and Bella, a stray mixed-breed dog, became unlikely companions at Tennessee’s Elephant Sanctuary after the latter wandered onto the grounds and made herself at home. For about eight years, the pair spent much of their time exploring together — quite a sight given their dramatic size difference.

The pair’s bond was strong: When Bella suffered a spinal injury and had to recover inside the sanctuary’s office, Tarra lingered nearby outside for weeks rather than enjoying the rest of her 2,200-acre habitat. Bella died in 2011 after a likely encounter with a coyote, but sanctuary staff said Tarra appeared to have taken the mutt away from the scene of the attack, noting signs on the underside of the elephant’s trunk. Tarra’s fellow elephants comforted her after Bella’s loss, staying close by and sharing their food with her.

Koko the Gorilla and All Ball the Kitten

Koko the western lowland gorilla, famous for her sign language skills, chose a gray-and-white Manx kitten from a litter for her birthday in 1984. In American Sign Language, Koko named the kitten All Ball because his rounded shape reminded her of a ball (and, as it turns out, because she liked to rhyme words).

According to the Gorilla Foundation, the kitten became a beloved companion for Koko. The two played together, and pictures showed the enormous gorilla handling the tiny cat ever so gently. 

Although claims about precisely what Koko understood or communicated have been debated, her apparent attachment to the kitten was extensively documented. In 1985, their friendship became its own children’s book called Koko’s Kitten.

Baloo the Bear, Leo the Lion, and Shere Khan the Tiger

A bear, a lion, and a tiger may sound like the setup for a joke, but Baloo, Leo, and Shere Khan shared a real-life home at Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary in Georgia. The trio, collectively nicknamed BLT, were rescued together in 2001 from a residential Atlanta property, where they had been neglected and suffered injuries as cubs.

They played and cuddled with and groomed one another, and their attachment became especially clear when Baloo needed surgery. Separated from him for the first time, Leo and Shere Khan became agitated, pacing and vocalizing instead of playing and napping as usual. Once Baloo recovered, the trio was reunited and remained together in the same enclosure for 15 years. 

Anthony the Lion and Riley the Coyote

Anthony, a lion cub, and Riley, a young coyote, were each just over a month old when they met at Arizona wildlife sanctuary Keepers of the Wild. Anthony had arrived with several health issues after being auctioned off in Virginia, while Riley had been rescued by Arizona Game and Fish. 

They weren’t exactly an obvious match; lions often hunt coyotes in the wild. But the two — who both belong to social species — bonded quickly, playing together, grooming each other, and watching over one another as the other rested throughout the day. Riley even accompanied Anthony when he had to leave the sanctuary for surgeries to correct a birth defect; the two became so distressed when separated that one would refuse to eat without the other nearby.

After Anthony’s death around the age of 2, Riley eventually found companionship with another coyote, named Dominic, at the sanctuary.