While enjoying the beautiful scenery on my most recent Orlando airboat guided tour, I noticed a surprising occurrence that most would see as natural and commonplace. While observing an American crocodile sunning on the shore, I also noticed a strange little bird sitting in its mouth, just begging to be the croc’s midday snack. Upon asking my tour guide, I was informed that this is a common symbiotic relationship between the two animals. The first recording of birds cleaning a crocodiles’ teeth was about 420 BC, by the Greek historian Herodotus, and since then, it’s been a widely accepted and unquestioned event.
This unusual animal relationship that one would think would result in a swift, and maybe even a deserved death--I mean, the bird is basically asking for it--is actually just one example of a mutual, symbiotic relationship created by two unrelated creatures. Animals rely on each other for more than just food and protection; sometimes they rely on one another for a deeper and more personal need--friendship. Here is a brief list of unlikely animal relationships that leave everyone a little pleasantly puzzled:
- Kasi the Cheetah and Mtani the Labrador Retriever - This unlikely animal friendship resulted from Kasi being orphaned and rescued at a very young age. With no other orphaned baby cheetahs around, the zoologists at Busch Gardens paired this young rescue with another young rescued animal--Mtani the lab puppy. Don’t be alarmed when you walk by the famous Cheetah Hunt roller coaster at Busch Gardens wildlife park--that labrador is supposed to be in the cheetah enclosure and this dynamic duo loves nothing more than to sunbathe and play all day long.
- Owen the Hippo and Mzee the Tortoise - Owen is a baby hippo who was separated from his herd after a tsunami. In search of a new companion, Owen found Mzee, a 130 year old giant tortoise. Now, the two are inseparable.
- Surya the Orangutan and Roscoe the Hound - Surya the orangutan likes to go on daily elephant rides to the river. One day a hound dog comes out of the woods to relax by the river, and before anyone knows what’s happened, Surya and the hound start hugging, rolling around, and acting as if they’re long lost pals. After their initial encounter, Roscoe would constantly sneak into the facility to be with Surya, but now, Roscoe is a bonafide member of the family. Surya shares her food with the dog, takes Roscoe for walks, and gives him daily hugs.
- Leo the Lion, Shere Khan the Tiger, and Baloo the Bear - In 2001 three cubs were rescued during a drug raid. The cubs were in relatively poor condition and were brought to Noah’s Ark for rehabilitation. The three are now in perfect health, and are thick as thieves. They were almost separated, as this is an unusual combination of predators, but the three displayed an undeniable loyalty and love for one another, and now they’ll live the rest of their days traveling down the yellow brick road in harmony.
- Chito the Man and Poncho the Crocodile - Chito is a kind-hearted Parasmina River local in the beautiful country of Costa Rica. An avid animal lover, one day he stumbled upon a severely injured, 5-metre-long crocodile. Feeling sorry for the animal, which had clearly been shot, Chito nourished the crocodile and nursed him back to health. When Chito tried to release Poncho, he just followed him back home. The two trusted and loved one another--Chito even swam with the croc. Poncho allowed Chito to roll him over, being extremely gentle with his human caregiver and even responding to his name when called. Poncho died of natural causes at the ripe old age of 50 and hundreds of people attended a funeral for the amazing crocodile.
Science can’t explain it, and maybe it’s not something that can be explained. Most of these animal encounters are a once in a lifetime experience. One thing is for certain: these incredible creatures will continue to surprise and amaze us, changing our perceptions of their species’ character and level of compassion. To book an Orlando airboat guided tour, contact Wild Florida today--who knows, maybe you’ll see an incredible animal interaction on your adventure.
Do you have a favorite unusual animal relationship that you’ve read about? Share this post and give us a description of the amazing animal relationship--we’d love to share it with our followers.
