George Eliot, an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era once said that Friendship is the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words. It seems it is not only humans that understand the true value of friendship. How do you explain the friendship between a lion, a tiger and a bear? Some friendships are just simply extraordinary and seems to be made in heaven.
In 2001, during a drug raid rescuers found a lion cub, a tiger cub and a bear cub trapped in the basement of an Atlanta home. The tale of Shere Khan the tiger, Baloo the bear and Leo the lion is truly touching, they were abused extensively by their drug dealer owner. Baloo the bear was the worst hit by the suffering he even needed surgery to remove a harness that had grown into his skin and caused deformities.
Due to their intense suffering at the hands of their drug dealer owner the three friends developed a unique bond and are now inseparable. They are now under the care of the Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary.
At the Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, Baloo was taken away for a surgical operation. Leo and Shere Khan realizing that their friend was gone paced around restlessly, worrying in no small measure about their friend. Thankfully, the surgery went well, and soon, Baloo was back with his two best friends.
Being different animals, the workers at Noah’s Ark Sanctuary separated the three animals, thinking they would do best alone in their own separate enclosures. But the animals wouldn’t stop crying, and so the workers decided to put them back into the same enclosure. They’ve been together in friendship ever since!
It is highly debatable if the animals would be able to survive in the wild and not wanting to take the risk the sanctuary decided to make the sanctuary the paradise they deserve after suffering in the hands of their drug dealer owner, the sanctuary gave them plenty of space to roam around, and lots of love and attention. Noah’s Ark Sanctuary also gave the three animals a clubhouse to sleep in. At night, the animals pile on top of each other, keeping each other warm, safe and comfy.
Unfortunately and heartbreaking is the fact that the three jolly friends couldn’t all live together happily ever after. As faith would have it in 2016, Leo the lion died from liver cancer. Shere Khan and Baloo were both devastated by the loss of their friend.
Leo was subsequently burried by the trio’s clubhouse so he would always be close to his best friends. That was quite thoughtful of workers from Noah’s Ark Sanctuary who did the burying. Leo would be with his friends in spirit.
The two of them still spend their days chilling, cuddling and playing together, and they love nothing more than taking naps together in their clubhouse. The video of this unusual friendship has gone viral and has provoked a series of debate.
The story of this strange bed fellows living together in peace and harmony reminds us of the famous quote from the movie “Wizard of Oz.” where an actor said “You wouldn’t expect to find a lion, tiger, and bear actually hanging out together in real life” if the actor had heard this story he wouldn’t have made the statement.
https://youtu.be/eUg9E41ImzY