Having a best friend is one of the greatest things ever but these two are a little more special than most.
Owen is a baby hippo who was orphaned when he was swept into the Indian Ocean and forced back to shore during the Kenyan tsunami in 2004. While he was rescued by wildlife rangers, Owen could not be housed with the other hippos in the sanctuary as the eldest male could have seen him as a threat and killed him.
Instead, he was housed with a 130-year-old giant tortoise called Mzee and the pair became inseparable. These amazing photos show the duo snuggling up to sleep, swimming, and playing together and have gone viral as people across the world shared this adorable story.
Unfortunately, due to fears for Mzee’s safety as Owen grew larger, the two were separated a few years later and given new companions but we love that this story shows no matter how different your best friend happens to be, it’s always good to have someone watching your back!
