When a brave goat got in a Siberian tiger’s enclosure, nobody believed that it would end with stealing the tiger’s bed and heart! It all started as a Christmas miracle, in 2015. Since then, their ‘bromance’ had its ups and downs, like any other relationship.
So how did a tasty snack become a tiger’s best friend? Let’s hear it from the staff at the zoo. We also have news of these guys’ latest stunts! Let’s check out the famous pair in the next photos. Prepare to have a laugh at #14 and to die of cuteness at #1!
20. The Primorsky Safari Park
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In Russia, there are less than 540 Siberian tigers left, and the Primorsky Safari Park which is close to Vladivostok try to save the species by breeding them in captivity. Until one winter when one of their tigers shocked them…
19. Willing to Share His Territory
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One tiger called Amur was only three years old when he finally found a friend. But the staff at the Park was thinking that they were giving the tiger his meal, not a companion. That’s when Amur’s diet soon changed!
18. Eating Live Animals and Raw Meat
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The tigers at the Park used to receive salmon, beef, and twice a week they could enjoy chasing a live prey, like goats and rabbits, to satisfy his predatory instincts. But this particular goat probably shocked Amur too!
17. A Fearless Goat
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Amur was used to mauling goats and eating them, but when a goat entered his territory, it puzzled the cat. Here’s what the keepers said: ‘Tiger Amur knows very well how to hunt goats and rabbits.’ But…
16. I’m Not Eating That
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‘But recently he came across a goat that he refused to hunt,’ said the keepers. It looks like the goat’s fearless personality prevailed and saved its life. But for how much time would the goat survive?
15. A Brave Goat
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The keeper said that they ‘think that the goat never came across tigers and no-one taught him to be scared of them’. So, when Amur saw that his prey was not running away, he didn’t even try to hunt it! And guess what?
14. A New King Has Risen!
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This goat was quite bossy. After surviving the encounter and spending a few weeks with the tiger, the staff gave the goat a name: Timur. He even ‘kicked the tiger out of his bedroom and is sleeping on Amur’s ‘bed’ for the fourth night’, said the keepers.
13. Taking Measures
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The staff started to root for the stubborn goat and were even worried for his safety, even if at the beginning he was a nameless prey. So, when they saw that Timur kept pestering the big cat at night, they separated them…
12. You’ll Sleep Alone!
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The park’s administration separated Timur and Amur during the night, to let the big cat sleep peacefully. Timur hated being cold and during the day, he would occupy Amur’s cozy bedroom. Soon, their relationship developed into something beautiful, as you’re about to see.
11. Walking Together
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‘Timur the goat has taken Amur for a leader and follows him everywhere. It looks like they are friends’, said one of the staff. Seeing these pals taking a walk looks as if it’s the most natural thing ever! But what makes these two unlikely friends so special?
10. Adjusting His Menu
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Since the goat and the tiger are so good pals, the staff at the park would only feed Amur raw meat and just living rabbits. When he eats, Timur is separated to avoid an accident. Talking about accidents…
9. Coming Closer to Timur
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One day, one of the keepers came close to the goat to feed it and Amur started hissing, defending his friend. And if you’re wondering how much this friendship has lasted, we have the right answer.
8. Different Opinions
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Vladimir Krever of WWF-Russia believes that the tiger and the goat will only be friends ‘until the tiger gets hungry.’ However, the friendship lasted more than 6 months and their story gets even better!
7. A Good Influence
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Since Amur met Timur, the tiger is no longer lonely. Before meeting his friend goat, Amur would roar continuously. But after that, he calmed down and he finally had a friend to spend his time with.
6. How to Be a ‘Tiger’ vs. How to Be a ‘Goat’
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The staff at the park also said that sometimes you could see Amur pretending to hunt an invisible prey as if to teach Timur how to hunt. And then, in exchange, the goat would come close and slowly head-b*** the tiger, teaching Amur how to… goat!
5. But It Got Out of Hand
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After six months of play and partnership, the keepers had to separate Timur and Amur. It looked like the goat has annoyed Amur to the point that he threw the goat up in the air. This is what happened…
4. Timur Bullied Amur
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You’d think it was the other way around, but the director of the park, Dmitry Mezentsev, stated that ‘Timur went beyond all limits. He pushed Amur away from their hill with his horns; he butted him with his horns and kicked him with his legs’. Then Amur Reacted…
3. Then Amur Reacted
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When Amur had enough, he ‘grabbed Timur by the neck as one would a kitten, and threw him up in the air’, to teach him a lesson. The keepers then took the goat out and fed Amur to make sure he won’t approach the goat…’
2. Timur Was Alive
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It took a while for Timur to get well from his flesh wounds, but he did it. Now the best friends are no longer living together, but each has found other friends that became their mates! On the official Timur and Amur Facebook page, they posted this…
1. Goatie and Sherkhan
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‘Our goat Timur became a father. His offspring is a healthy 5-kilo kid temporarily ironed as Russian equivalent of “Goatie”: Kozlyonok and Amur’s son is this 25-kilo furball Sherkhan.’
We hope these two babies will get along even better than their fathers, with no other aggressive romps like the one that made the staff at the safari separate Timur from Amur.