Meet Kumbali and Kago, two furry miracles who are here to remind you that Mother Nature, while frequently a cruel and unkind mistress, will sometimes dole out unlikely and adorable animal friendships for your amusement.
Kumbali is a cheetah cub from Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia. The runt of his litter, he was bottle-fed and hand-raised by zoo staff, who fell in love with him, and generally doted upon him
Unfortunately, this love and attention was a double-edged sword for poor old mate Kumbali, who had been removed for his family for so long while being raised that, if reintroduced, they would consider him a threat.
Cheetas being the social creatures they are, zoo staff knew he needed a companion to spend time and relax with. Enter Kago, a rescue Labrador who quickly bonded with Kumbali, and is now his best bud.
As Kumbali’s handlers explained:
This symbiotic relationship would never happen in the wild; however, we believe the positive outcomes outweigh any negative. As the two grow up together, they create a bond that becomes almost inseparable, sibling-like. They provide companionship for each other. The dog has a calming influence because the cheetah will take behavioral cues from the dog– learning not to fear his surroundings, but instead embracing them with confidence. The dog normally becomes the dominant figure in the relationship by becoming the protector and leader. The cheetah will not hurt or kill his friend.
So Kago appears to be covered, which is good to know. You can read more about them over on the Metro Richmond Zoo page, or just continue watching the above video on a loop to feel better about your day.
