Image credits: Columbus Zoo
When you think of cheetahs, you might think of big cats and the fastest animal on the planet, but they are very sensitive. They get so stressed out that they don’t know how to socialize with each other or procreate.
That’s why they need help because they’re going extinct, and the answer came in the form of the most unlikely animal friendship. Zookeepers have been giving them their emotional support dogs for a while now to help these animals.
Image credits: Columbus Zoo
“It’s a love story of one species helping another species survive,” said Jack Grisham, vice president of animal collections at the St. Louis Zoo and species survival plan coordinator for cheetahs in North America.
Image credits: Columbus Zoo
“A dominant dog is very helpful because the African animals are quite shy instinctively, and you can’t breed that out of them,” explains Janet Rose-Hinostroza, animal training supervisor at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
Image credits: Columbus Zoo
“When you pair a cheetah cub with a guide dog, the cat looks to the dog for cues and learns to model their behavior. It’s about getting them to read that calm, happy-go-lucky vibe from the cheetah support dog” – and that helps them be more confident and willing to get it on.
Image credits: CBS News
That’s right! They should learn from the dogs and start having babies!
Image credits: CBS News
Source: BoredPanda
