Cheetahs usually welcome around three to five cubs in one birth. Occasionally, however, they give birth to only one single cub, which is quickly abandoned since the mother knows how low the odds are that the one cub will be able to survive in the wild.
So when the staff from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park noticed one of their adult female cheetahs was pregnant, they couldn’t wait to meet the new litter of cubs, however, when they realized there was only one cub in the litter, who was quickly shunned by his mom, they stepped in to find the baby, who they named Ruuxa, a companion.
The zoo was able to find an 8-week-old Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy named Raina to be Ruuxa’s companion, but they never imagined the two would bond so quickly after introducing each other through a sheet of glass. The two have been together every day since they first met, and even refused to be apart when Ruuxa had surgery to correct a growth abnormality called chondrodysplasia, which caused her legs to grow in a bow shape and kept her from running.
Ruuxa has since made a full recovery thanks to Raina’s gentle help, but luckily, the two ‘siblings’ never have to worry about being separated since the zoo plans keeping together for the rest of their lives as Raina helps Ruuxa stay calm in new surroundings and situations.
Watch the entire video below to see the incredible bond between these two amazing brothers.
Are you impressed by the bond these two very different animals have? Let us know what you think in the comments below, and please SHARE this with friends on Facebook.
[Featured image: San Diego Zoo]
Dog and Cheetah Refuse Be Separated After Seeing Each Other Through Glass is an article from: LifeDaily