Metro Richmond ZooKumbali + Kago = Besties 5ever.
Viral pet friendships are of the utmost importance. Put down your work or log off Facebook cause we all know that's what you're actually doing right now. This video shows two unlikely pals who are making our hearts literally melt. Watch the evolution of this adorable friendship and you'll see why in just one day the video has almost 700,000 views.
Kumbali is the cheetah cub and he was only two weeks old when The Metro Richmond Zoo in Virginia decided he wasn't getting enough nutrition from his mother. They began to bottle feed Kumbali and put her in an incubator to help regulate her heat. Sidenote: we would like to join her because the air-conditioning is on full-blast right now and we are freezing.
Kago is a puppy from a local Virginia shelter who the zoo brought in to be Kumbali's companion. Our question at this point is: can they do that for us? Requirements: Funny, furry and loves long walks.
They were definitely not #Squadgoals when they first met; Kumbali was very anxious around Kago but the puppy showed how playful he can be and Kumbali warmed right up.
Cheetah's are notoriously nervous creatures, so the zoo wanted to calm Kumbali's nerves by giving him a friend to take on the big bad world with.
"Dogs have been used as companion animals to cheetahs for over 30 years," the video explains. "The dog provides a calming influence for the cheetah, giving him behavioral cues. Dogs are less fearful of new surroundings and embrace them with confidence. That calmness helps the cheetah remain calm as well.
"The Boys," as the Richmond Zoo calls them now that they are all grown up, can be seen in their own hour long show throughout the week, making everyone jealous of their lifelong bond.