"Tiger got to hunt, bird got to fly;
Man got to sit and wonder 'why, why, why...'
Odd animal couples continually surprise us. An adorable mouse was spotted hitching a ride across a pond on the back of an amphibious friend...a frog. In a Chinese zoo, a baby macaque and a tiger cub nurtured each other after both were abandoned by their mothers. Of course, nature teaches us that most animals are prey for another. We have yet to explain why Lucky, the cat, nursed a rabbit baby until it was strong enough to make its way into the briars.
Bella, a mixed-breed dog, wandered into the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary. Bella was thin, scarred and frightened. Tarra, a female elephant, left her herd and befriended the dog. They were inseparable for a decade. It appeared that Bella was later killed by coyotes, and that Tarra carried her over a mile home.
From the Kingman Sanctuary, in Arizona, we hear of Anthony and Riley. The PBS Nature Special, "Animal Odd Couples," tells of their rescues at infancy. When older, each would not house with their kind as they acted out, refused food and cried. Together now, Anthony, a 350 pound Lion and Riley, a 25 pound coyote share an enclosure.
Hippo+Zebra
Wolf+Goat
Cat+Squirrel
Owl+Dog
Skunk+Kitten
Tiger got to sleep, bird got to land;
Man got to tell himself he understand."
-Kurt Vonnegut-
