The Rock and Kevin Hart, Rob Dyredek and Christopher Boykin, Karl Malone and John Stockton. There’s something inherently fascinating when two things that don’t look anything alike still manage to make some form of magic together. In the animal world, odd pairings are even more interesting, adorable, and hilarious. Here are some of our favorite odd animal couples.
Pitbull Ducklings
The family chose to adopt ducklings because of their affection and friendliness. They began raising the ducklings, named Gerdy and Mr. Don at a mere two days old and immediately earned a place in the family. Their two dogs, Jake and Rose, quickly bonded with the ducklings and welcomed them and haven’t looked back since. Ironically, the mother was unaware she was pregnant when she first got the ducks. The family suddenly had a lot on their hands, but seeing the dogs interact gently with the ducks showed her how nurturing, empathetic, and gentle they really are.
The ducks eventually moved outside when they got too adult size, but they were far from roughing it. Right outside, the family built them a two-level duck house with a full indoor and outdoor area. They come out and play whenever everybody’s outside, so they still get plenty of quality time with their pitbull friends. They say the key to the relationship is to let the animals be themselves and not try to force anything.
Baloo, Leo, and Shere Khan
A wildlife sanctuary in Atlanta, Georgia hosts some of the strangest animal friendships the internet has ever seen. Baloo, a fully grown black bear, Leo, an adult lion, and Shere Khan, an adult Bengal tiger have lived in this refuge together for over 12 years. Tigers and black bears do share some of the same habitats in Asia, but their encounters don’t exactly share the friendly nature of Baloo and Shere Khan when they cross paths.
All three of them were rescued as cubs after being kept illegally as pets and relocated to the same sanctuary they remain in today. They were kept in a dark basement and suffered horrific living conditions until their rescue. Apparently the sanctuary tried placing them in different enclosures once when they were young, but all three of them cried mercilessly until they were reunited.
Bubbles and Bella
The joyous friendship between Bubbles the African elephant and Bella the black Labrador is nearly impossible to ignore. After Bubbles’ parents were tragically killed by poachers, she was adopted by a family in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. She was extremely malnourished when she arrived, standing only 42 inches tall and weighing 340 lbs. She grew to a whopping 9 feet tall and a healthy weight of over four tons. A contractor even built a gigantic pool for her out back to keep cool. Bubbles and Bella love spending time in the water playing together and have a visible affection for one another.
Animals have a remarkable ability to nonverbally communicate and form inseparable bonds. These are some prime examples of the old saying, “opposites attract”.
