So, you think you’re a badass while walking your fierce pit bulls and dobermans? Well, how about
having a bear or a crocodile as your best friend! They may not be your typical domesticated pets,
but some people have managed to successfully tame some seriously dangerous creatures! How?
Let’s find out as we round up the 9 Most Unusual Friendships Between Wild Animals and Humans!
What’s up, fact-natics! This is Discovery Amuse, serving up your daily dose of the most outrageous,
outlandish, and out-of-this-world fun facts! Stay tuned because our one number pick would leave
you screaming, “Yaaass, Kween of the Jungle!” Let’s unleash the beast!
#9.
Gabriel the Cheetah This American zoo volunteer loves cheetah so much
that he has sort of become a cheetah whisperer! For over four years, Dolph C. Volker has been
volunteering at the Cheetah Experience Breeding Center in South Afrrica, where he formed a special
bond with one of the big cats in the sanctuary named Gabriel. Despite being away for almost a
year at a time, whenever he comes back to the park, Volker would always be showered with hugs
and kisses from Gabriel. In return, Volker would hand-feed his feline friend and would
sleep beside him inside the enclosure. Dolph: This will be the second time
we spend the night together in over 3 years In 2019, Volker was able to legally purchase
Gabriel, which allows him to enter the cheetah’s enclosure whenever he visits.
But Gabriel is actually just one of the big cats Volker was able to tame.
On his YouTube, you can see a lot of his encounters with other cheetahs,
including these clips of him cuddling with the wild beasts while sleeping!
Keep watching because our number one pick is literally like the female version of Tarzan!
#8. Pocho the Crocodile We all know how crocs could easily
devour an entire human being without a single hint of guilt, but Pocho is no
ordinary crocodile. Well, at least towards his best buddy named Chito.
More than 20 years ago, Chito found the 16-foot-long predator lying helpless and
on the brink of death on the bank of Parismina river in Costa Rica after a farmer had shot him.
Being the animal-lover that he is, Chito couldn’t help but rescue the severely injured Pocho.
When Pocho was finally better, Chito took him back to the river, but instead of
running into the sunset, the crocodile followed Chito home! Little did Chito know that it would
be the start of a lifelong friendship. Tourists and researchers alike flocked
the Parasmina River to get a glimpse of Chito and Pocho playing together. Unfortunately,
the 50-year-old Pocho passed away in 2016, but the memories of their incredible bond live on.
#7. Namal the Elephant Visitors of the Udawalawe Park
in Sri Lanka can’t miss this adorable 3-legged elephant named Namal. When Namal was rescued in
the jungle at a young age, he had a severe wound on his hind leg which led to amputation. Having to
survive on a prosthetic leg was a daunting task for the young elephant. Fortunately,
he had his two best humans by his side, Salinda and Ruwan-- both caretakers at the sanctuary.
Salinda and Namal formed a special bond, but when Salinda was transferred to another facility,
Ruwan became Namal’s sole companion. For eight years,
Ruwan has been looking after Namal, and now, Ruwan says Namal has grown a little too clingy with him!
Whenever the poor elephant gets scared of other animals, he would quickly run to Ruwan’s side.
The two are also fond of playing in the water and sunbathing together!
#6. Agee the Polar Bear Canadian couple Mark and Dawn Dumas
are proud to say they bare bears. In fact, their pride and joy is none other than this
800-pound full grown polar bear named Agee! Mark, who has been a professional animal trainer
for over 50 years, rescued Agee from a wildlife park in Sweden when she was only two months old.
At first, he only intended to train Agee for the 1996 movie Alaska,
but Mark couldn’t bear the thought of having to bring Agee back to a zoo,
so he and his wife decided to domesticate Agee. For more than 20 years, Agee has been living in
the Dumas’ property, where she has her own swimming pool! Mark has even made a name
for himself for practically being the only human being in the world who could swim with an adult
polar bear and not end up becoming dinner! Mark: I’m her companion, her disciplinarian,
her trainer, I think sometimes she thinks she’s my mistress,
she gets jealous when I’m talking with other people
#5. Jimbo the Kodiak Bear When former corrections officer Jim Kowalczyk
wants a bear hug, he doesn’t get it from his wife, Susan. He gets it from his actual pet Kodiak bear
Jimbo! It can’t get any more authentic than that. Jimbo was first brought to the Orphaned Wildlife
Center by the facility’s owners Jim and Susan more than 20 years ago. But while
they’ve been BFFs or Bear Friends Forever for more than 2 decades, it was only in 2016 that
their bond became internet-famous, thanks to a viral video of Jim playing with then
22-year-old Jimbo! Just look at them horsing around, and Jim even letting Jimbo lick his hand!
However, in March 2017, the 1,500-pound Kodiak bear died of liver cancer at age 23.
But what about the bear hugs? No need to worry because Jimbo was
actually just one of 11 bears that live in the Kowalczyk’s property in Otisville, New York!
They take care of the rescued bears until they are ready to be released back into the wild,
except for those that were born in captivity who might find it difficult
to adapt to their natural environment. Jim: These bears, once in a while,
they’re always looking for food, they really don’t want for anything other than attention.
#4. Chomran the Python
Even a full-grown man would go hiss-terical at the mere sight of a 16-foot long Burmese python.
But not this Cambodian kid! Why any parent would ever let their child
near a snake defeats me, but here we are! Koun Samang has practically grown up with
his reptile “sister” Chomran the Python as they are the same age. The kid’s parents say they’ve
kept the snake and treated her like family for the longest time because they believe Chomran
brings them good luck. Her name, after all, literally means “lucky” in Khmer.
In 2011, when the unusual siblings turned 12, Chomran has grown to almost six times the size
of her brother, and ate 5 whole chickens every two weeks! Unfortunately, the parents had to
finally make the hard decision to bring their pet python to a zoo after she bit Koun on the leg.
#3: Mulan the Tiger Who is that girl I see,
staring straight back at me… Why, it’s a 400-pound Bengal tiger!
Who needs a sword when this Mulan could easily attack anyone with its bare paws!
But the last person on earth she’d wanna hurt is her best friend Abdullah.
Abdullah has been babysitting Mulan since she was still a little cub in an enclosure in East java,
Indonesia. For over a decade, they’ve grown a bond so strong, that Mulan gives her best
friend the sloppiest kisses and the biggest hugs whenever Abdullah drops by to see her.
Though Abdullah admits to sustaining some scars and bites from Mulan when they horse around,
he still likes to often play with the giant feline, and he even sleeps next to her!
#2. Port Jackson Shark Whenever Australian Rick Anderson goes
out to scuba dive in the waters of Nobbys Beach in New South Wales, one particular sea creature
would always swim up to him to ask for some cuddles and rubs--an actual Port Jackson shark!
Anderson first met the little predator when she was just a baby shark, and for more than 7 years,
the diver has been regularly visiting his underwater pal who he immediately
recognizes due to her distinct markings. As for the shark, Anderson believes she’s
able to identify him through his smell or by the magnetic senses he puts out.
Rick: She’s a harmless shark for most regards, she’s a wild animal so she can bite when
she takes a dislike to you but I seriously doubt she’s gonna bite me in the face
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#1. South African Lions You might as well call this South
African animal trainer “Queen of the Jungle” because not only was she able to tame this
pride of lions; they have essentially crowned her the leader of their pack!
Or Lazmi, a trainer and manager at the Seaview Predator Park in Port Elizabeth, South Africa,
has been looking after the fierce lions since they were just little cubs. Being inside the lions’ pen
most of the time, Or has earned the trust and respect of the big cats throughout the years,
so much so that the lions consider her to be a dominant member of their pride!
In the presence of Or, the beasts tend to not harm humans who enter their enclosure.
Or: We respect them as wild animals to start off with, I think that’s one of the key points. We
don’t train them, we don’t do anything like that, so you need to earn their trust and respect.
Move over Simba, because this Lion Queen is the real deal!
So, if you had a choice, which wild animal would you like to be besties
with? Let us know in the comments section below! Take home any of our exclusive gear by browsing
our merch shelf, or clicking the link in the video description! And while you’re at it, take
our quiz to find out how you can earn extra cash online doing what you do best! Awesome, right!
In case you need a reminder of just how ferocious wild animals can actually be,
check out our list of the 10 Craziest Animal Fights Caught on Camera!
‘Till then, stay cutie patootie, fact-natics! And see you in the next video!