By NINIEK KARMINI, Associated Press
Last updated: 5:32 p.m., Wednesday, February 28, 2007

CISARUA, Indonesia -- Call them the odd couples. A pair of month-old Sumatran tiger twins have become inseparable playmates with a set of young orangutans, an unthinkable match in their natural jungle habitat in Indonesia's tropical rainforests.


The friendship between 5-month-old female baby primates Nia and Irma, and cubs Dema and Manis, has blossomed at the Taman Safari zoo where they share a room in the nursery.

After being abandoned by their mothers shortly after birth, the four play fight, nipping and teasing each other, and cuddling up for a shared nap when they are worn out.

"This is unusual and would never happen in the wild," said zoo keeper Sri Suwarni, bottle-feeding a baby chimp on Wednesday. "Like human babies, they only want to play."

The four have lived side-by-side for a month without a single act of hostility, she said.

The exceptional friendship will likely be short-lived, said veterinarian Retno Sudarwati, because as the animals grow up their natural survival instincts will kick in.

"When the time comes, they will have to be separated. It's sad, but we cant' change their natural behavior," she said. "Tigers start eating meat when they are three months old."


Indonesian tigers and orangutans are both endangered species, threatened by rapidly shrinking habitats.

Conservationists estimate there are fewer than 700 Sumatran tigers still alive, while fewer than 60,000 orangutans remain in the wild. Around 90 percent of the jungle has been destroyed by illegal logging, poaching and cut-and-burn farming practices on Borneo and Sumatra islands.

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Thank you for the lovely post.
I read about it in the paper. The tiger cub and baby orangutan were both ababdoned by their mothers, and now have become inseparable playmates.

Love,
yoko

Thank you for this information. I heard it on the news.
Hopefully they will remain friend even when they grow up. Strange things do happen.

Sincerely,
Gisele

This is such a nice story. Thank you for posting it on Givnology. I also read it in the newspaper.

Love,
Vicky

I absolutely love this story and the images.
As Gisele said, hopefully they can remain friends when they grow up.

Love,
Sue

Thank you everyone. I thought you would enjoy these two.

http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,1483,00.html#2_0

Found another picture

Great topic! Thanks!

Another image

http://www.foxnews.com/photoessay/0,4644,1483,00.html#2_0

Thank you all. I love the images you have posted.

These two will certainly have a happy St.Valentine's day.

Love,
Vicky