In the wild, orangutan’s and tigers wouldn’t exactly get along… they’re natural enemies. But at a nature preserve in South Carolina, this is certainly not the case. An orangutan and three tigers cubs are now the best of friends.
A male orangutan at the Myrtle Beach Safari has taken a liking to three tiger cubs after watching his human caretakers nurse the three baby cats back to health. He likes them so much, that he’s taken on the mantle of fatherhood, often feeding the young cats himself. The unlikely relationship is not the first of its kind recorded by researchers, but it certainly is one of the cutest.
“Orangutans spend a lot of time with their human caregivers, sometimes when they are nursing tiger cubs,” the preserve wrote about the unlikely relationship. ‘The orangutans often show genuine interest in the cubs and want to help with their feeding and their cuddling. At both things, they prove to be very proficient.”
Discovery Family visited the preserve recently, and recorded an adorable video of the primate bottle-feeding, cuddling and petting the three baby cubs just like he was their father. Given the adorable and surprising nature of the footage, the video has since gone viral.
Check out the adorable moment in the video below!
Share their adorable relationship today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MwQYcY479o
Want to be happier in just 5 minutes a day? Sign up for Morning Smile and join over 455,000+ people who start each day with good news.