It’s always heartwarming to see friendships form between animals. Everyone needs a good friend to spend time with — especially animals who have no one else.
That was the case for one orphaned bear, who has formed the sweetest friendship with a polar bear after being rescued.
A grizzly bear cub, now named Jebbie, was found in Tok, Alaska, wandering around on his own after being orphaned. Unable to survive on his own, he was taken in by Alaska Department of Fish and Game and found sanctuary at the Detroit Zoo, according to a press release.
And after he arrived, something incredible happened: he formed a friendship with a polar bear cub named Laerke.
According to the zoo, Laerke was born in November 2020, but was weak and had to be hand-reared. Unfortunately, that meant that his mom, Suka, no longer recognized him as her cub.
The zoo wanted to provide him a companion, but there were no other polar bear cubs who could be brought to the zoo. But when they heard about Jebbie, they knew the two orphaned bears could potentially hit it off.
“We’re thrilled that we are able to give Jebbie sanctuary and provide a much-needed companion for Laerke,” said Scott Carter, chief life sciences officer for the Detroit Zoological Society. “This social development is critically important for both Laerke and Jebbie.”
Now, the two young bears have a perfect playmate to spend time with. The Detroit Zoo says they are “gradually getting to know each other,” and “wrestle, play with toys and spend their days together.”
The bears will have plenty of space to play. They can be found in the Detroit Zoo’s Arctic Ring of Life, a four-acre facility that includes a grassy tundra, a freshwater pool and a 190,000-gallon saltwater pool.
The bears’ adorable friendship has won hearts across the country, and they can now be seen on display. Visitors will have the chance to watch this sweet friendship continue for years to come.
We are so glad that Jebbie and Laerke have found a much-needed friend in each other. Share this sweet story!
