Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary, a wildlife preserve in Locust Grove, Ga., found and rescued three baby animals fifteen years ago, and the trio has been inseparable ever since.
The animals, an African lion named Leo, a black bear named Baloo, and a Bengal tiger named Shere Kahn, were found in the basement of an Atlanta home after a drug raid. They were reportedly confined there in small crates and had sustained multiple injuries.
All of the cubs were less than a year old and extremely malnourished. Baloo had been infected by parasites, and Leo had a wound on his nose that was badly infected.
After rescuing the cubs, the sanctuary provided them with the medical attention they needed and kept a close eye on them as they healed.
Baloo the bear had to get surgery, and the staff at the sanctuary say that this was the only time the three were separated from each other for a long period of time.
Since their injuries proved to be too severe for them to be safely released back into the wild, the sanctuary decided to keep them at their facility. In addition, they were all placed in the same habitat, so they would never be separated again.
Allison Hedgecoth, who is the curator at the sanctuary, told The Dodo that all three animals are extremely affectionate toward one another. She added that Shere Kahn has always been somewhat mischievous, and although he is older now, he has not changed one bit.
Although wild animals of different species are known for not getting along well, this doesn’t seem to be the case with these three. Life can be tough for animals in the wild, and since the three have been through their own hardships together, they seem to have learned to love each other despite their differences.
The sanctuary staff say that they have slept, played, and ate together since they were babies and they continue to do so today.
At 15 years old, the animals are getting older, and thankfully, they will be able to live out the rest of their days at the sanctuary in each others’ company.
