Get to know Shere Khan the tiger, Leo the lion, and Baloo the bear.
When these three strange male predators were taken as cubs from a drug dealer’s home in Atlanta, Georgia in 2001, they became the best of friends.
The Huffington Post was informed by Allison Hedgecoth, curator of Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, that the three predators—the Bear, Tiger, And Lion—showed signs of being a bonded trio from the moment they arrived.
She claimed that “they were already seeking each other out for solace and showing affection by cuddling, grooming, and playing with one another.”
Hedgecoth wasn’t surprised by their 15-year friendship, but she was taken aback by their enduring initial bond.
She told the BBC that animals often grow apart as they age and that “before they reach sexual maturity, a lot of times animals will form unique bonds with members of other species.” “It was unexpected how they maintained that family unit and bond well into adulthood.”
According to the sanctuary, the three animals (the Bear, Tiger, And Lion) were discovered by police during a raid in the basement of a drug dealer’s home 15 years ago when they were just a few months old.
“Baloo, Shere Khan, and Leo were hurt, scared, and clinging to one another for comfort when they were first brought to the sanctuary,” Hedgecoth said to HuffPost.
Leo was an African lion with an open wound on his nose that was infected, and he had been kept in a small crate. The harness that the American black bear Baloo was wearing had become so large that it was embedded in his flesh, which had grown all around it. Bengal tiger Shere Khan was noticeably underweight.
When the Georgia Department of Natural Resources brought the three cubs to Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, a nonprofit animal rescue located in Locust Grove, Georgia, they were all terrified, underweight, and infected with parasites.
The Dodo claims that because of the extreme damage the cubs’ living circumstances had caused, the rescuers chose to keep them at the sanctuary rather than reintroducing them to the wild.
Because of how well they got along, the sanctuary decided to keep all three of them in the same environment.
Since then, Baloo, Leo, and Shere Khan have been unbreakable.
“They’re usually within 100 feet of each other, even though they live in a three-acre enclosure,” Hedgecoth said to Inside Edition. “That’s proof that they’re not just coexisting or cohabiting, they actually do enjoy each other’s company.”
Ensuring that every animal’s needs are satisfied at the same time is the most difficult task for sanctuary employees, according to Hedgecoth, who spoke with HuffPost. This covers their dietary, health, and behavioral needs.
She clarified that Baloo is the group’s leader, most self-assured, and most laid back member. Leo is always conscious of his surroundings, even though he can be aloof at times. Shere Khan is naturally curious and eager to play.
As stated on Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary’s Facebook page, these three predators “live together, sleep together, and even eat together as a family.”
The sanctuary claims that they are frequently seen cuddling together because Shere Khan is so loving.
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Even though they are an endangered species, Bengal tigers usually live alone in the wild, but Shere Khan frequently strokes and caresses Baloo and Leo.
Fortunately, they never seem to mind too much.
