There’s just something incredibly endearing about an interspecies friendship. Perhaps it’s the perceived unlikeliness of their affection or that there can be a substantial size difference. Either way, it warms your heart.
So when someone captured a sweet moment between a squirrel and a recently rescued lion named Güero, it melted hearts across the internet.
The video was taken shortly after Güero, the lion, was finally freed from a zoo in Mexico, where he lived a torturous life. For many years, he lived all alone in a tiny metal cage, exiled from all the other animals.
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It had become increasingly obvious how unhappy he was once he started showing signs of physical and psychological distress. His teeth had been worn down to nubs from gnawing on the metal bars of his cage, and he had been forced to endure the agony of a broken neck that was intentionally left untreated.
He was practically knocking on death’s door by the time help arrived.
But once he was finally freed and received the medical care he desperately needed, Güero started living a much happier life at The Wildlife Sanctuary in Colorado. There, he finally had the opportunity to feel grass beneath his feet and interact with other animals.
While the staff wasn’t exactly sure how Güero would react to spending time in their play yard, what happened next certainly wasn’t something they ever expected to see.
It turns out that the whipped cream treat that Güero had grown accustomed to enjoying after his meaty meal was also enticing to a 13-lined ground squirrel. And Güero was perfectly fine sharing his tasty treat with his new friend. It was such a lovely sight to see.
After being forced to spend so much time alone, Güero finally got to interact with another animal. Seeing as he had lived most of his life in solitude and had clearly been suffering because of it, it must have felt so good to finally have some company. But who would have thought his first friend would be a tiny squirrel?
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The staff at the sanctuary said that the pair loves to spend time together lying in the grass, but their favorite activity is licking up their delightful dessert.
You can check out their adorable interaction in the video below.
Featured Image: Facebook
Toledo, United States.
