We know from fables that tortoises don’t really get along with speedy hares, but what about cheetahs? An unexpected friendship has blossomed at the Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation in Florida. Tuesday, a cheetah who was born in captivity, has become besties with a tortoise named Penzi. According to @thatgoodnewsgirl on TikTok, cheetahs can actually get quite anxious and often benefit from having a companion. For Tuesday, that’s Penzi!
Footage of the unusual duo shows them cuddling, playing, and eating together. The tortoise and cheetah spend most of their time with each other, despite their differences in… well, almost everything! Tuesday was socialized around other animals at an early age, but Penzi was the one special friend she clicked with the most.
Commenters on TikTok absolutely loved learning more about this uncommon yet wholesome relationship. Some people have been jokingly calling Penzi a “supportoise” since the tortoise acts as an emotional support animal for the cheetah.
“I needed to watch a cheetah cuddle her supportoise today,” wrote one user.
Another added, “It’s like a children’s book. A fast carnivore and a slow herbivore become friends.”
It’s amazing to see the connection between these two wildly different animals. If a cheetah and a tortoise can become friends, there’s hope for all of us!
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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