Zach Pagano/NBCCome for the animals, but stay for the friendships.
When traveling to the Turtle Back Zoo in New Jersey, lucky visitors will get to view a variety of species and exhibits. But perhaps it's one unlikely pairing that will truly grab the attention of animal lovers across the country.
CBS New York recently put a spotlight on Nandi who is a cheetah that calls the Turtle Back Zoo home. For over a year, the animal has had an inseparable relationship with Bowie.
Who's Bowie you may ask? Oh, he's a Labrador retriever and therapy dog
In a report by CBS New York's Meg Baker, viewers learn that this pair shares toys, plays in snow and offers support to one another.
They've been together since they were a few weeks old and after all this time, they are thick as thieves. "Is that a cheetah and a puppy?!" the zoo shared on Facebook. "We enjoyed discussing the relationship our Animal Ambassador's Nandi & Bowie have developed over the last year with reporter Meg Baker last night on CBS."
The unlikely duo has also been featured on NBC's Today show where viewers learned Bowie helps Nandi with "confidence and in the wild, cheetahs are actually shy…It really helps with their confidence. They will be lifelong friends."
With less than 7,000 cheetahs left in the wild, zoo officials hope stories like this will remind animals lovers about just how special these creatures are.
As for us, we can't stop watching their friendship and playful hugs above.