An odd and remarkable thing happened when a live goat was put into the enclosure of a Siberian tiger as part of its twice-a-week feeding of live animals at the Primorsky Safari Park in Russia: Amur the tiger became friends with its dinner.

In a story that has captivated Russia, Timur the goat and Amur the tiger have become fast friends, eating and playing together, chasing each other in the snow and even playfully head-butting each other, according to the Agence France-Presse .

Timur the goat has even taken over the shelter Amur the tiger usually sleeps in, and now Amur sleeps on the shelter’s roof.

So enamored is the public about this unusual relationship that Primorsky Safari Park issues regular updates and plans to install webcams in the enclosure.

How did this unlikely friendship happen?

Simply stated, when the goat was released into the enclosure it did not show any fear. It didn’t act like prey.

“No one had taught the goat to be afraid of tigers,” the park stated. So the adversaries became friends, instead. Zoo chief Dmitry Mezentsev called it nothing short of a miracle.

“This is a sign from above,” he told AFP. “People, take a look at yourselves. There are wars everywhere — Ukraine, Syria — while such different animals can live together in peace.”

The typical day starts with a morning walk around the enclosure with the goat following the tiger. On Wednesday, the goat poked the tiger with its horns.

“The tiger accepted the goat’s challenge,” the park reported. “He pushed his forehead against Timur’s horns, the friends butted heads for five seconds without coming to blows, after which Amur calmly went to bask in the sun on the hill.”

When it comes to feeding, Amur is now getting a diet of live rabbits “out of respect for goats,” Mezentsev told AFP, and the tiger has attempted to teach the goat how to catch the prey.

And Timur has shown Amur how to lick a block of salt that it was given.

“We liked the story of the friendship between the tiger and the goat simply because a normal person cannot always live amid the lies, hatred and humiliation,” a Russian online op-ed said in Gazeta.ru, according to AFP. “One would like to believe it is possible not to gobble up the weak but be friends with them.”

But will Amur the tiger eventually gobble up Timur the goat?

Novosibirsk zoo director Rostislav Shilo told TASS there was an 80 to 85 percent chance of that the Siberian tiger would eventually eat the goat.
But Mezentsev isn’t buying it.

“Timur is in no more danger than a human living next to another human,” he told AFP.

http://www.grindtv.com/wildlife/siberian-tiger-becomes-unlikely-friends-with-a-goat-it-was-given-to-eat/#4YJjwvql47Uxsmwj.97

This is to show that animals don't just need food, water and space to move around.Sometimes, they need a friend too.

Even the tiger smart pass some Nigerians. Everything dem see na to kill and post on Nairaland
I hope the can learn a lesson or two from this tiger

i love this

Nice friendship

Updates On Amur The Tiger And Timur The Goat

Amur the Tiger and his new best friend Timur the Goat are now on social media, so everyone can now
follow them online.

The Instagram account of the two friends doesn't have silly stuff, like endless selfies or pictures of their feet, but cool images of them playing, chilling out and
simply being themselves. Their lnstagram account already has over 1,900 followers.

The tiger and the goat also have Facebook account, as well as accounts on the Russian-language Vkontakte and Odnoklassniki social media platforms.

"We're going to post interesting pictures and lively videos," a representative of the Safari Park in Russia's Primorsky Territory said, according to Gazeta.ru.

Earlier it was reported that the Safari Park, which has become famous due to the unique friendship between Amur and Timur, began fundraising to improve conditions for the animals at the facility.

http://m.sputniknews.com/art_living/20151221/1032083573/amur-tiger-timur-goat-social-media-account.html

Armur and Timur continue with their friendship, and this got them social media accounts

Endtime friendship

Hmmmmm.....no think am ooo

F

copy that

If only we can at times learn from these lower creatures, I think this world would be a better place for all

....just a matter of time and the goat will make a nice meal.

No matter how dumb goats behave, this one is well aware of his impending fate.

The tiger is fasting and waiting for 2016.
He is taking his time to allow the goat fatten up for the new year.

I would advice that goat to run away on new year's eve if he intends to live to see his grandchildren, sorry grandKIDS.

So cute

I hope it ends well

Silly tiger... there are some of us in Naija who didn't see goat to eat for Christmas, so could you send your unused goat to us? We will take very good care of it

the day the tiger would pounce on the goat eh

.

delishpot:
Even the tiger smart pass some Nigerians. Everything dem see na to kill and post on Nairaland
I hope the can learn a lesson or two from this tiger

I hope so too

I. Laff. In. Chinese.



take my word





A day is coming that the tiger will be hungry n its true nature will be reveled to the goateee.... . I pity the poor goat anyways


Its not new to me anyways cause have taken a selfie with a lion n its crew before in a thick forest as in think forest wey be say ray of light no reach there if not for the help of my iPhone 6 minus halogen flashlight everything for just dark...

Friends? You just give it time.

More romance to them, would love to know the end of this tale …

Hungry neva beat the tiger.

Noted

Do u knw hw bored that siberian Tiger has been....
I think it has been alone in solitary confinement for a long time...
Not bad to have a Friend(company) that has "kinda of" similar characteristics with it..

But the tiger may eventually eat the goat, but it may take some time..
If I am in a good position, I will bring out the goat- it has overcame ..nd release the goat to freedom..

It won't end well.

Friends with benefits

Tiger with the heart of GEJ! Very Peaceful.

If the Tiger had the heart of Buhari, that goat for hear am ...e for even request for dog and baboon join

Sunnycliff:
If only we can at times learn from these lower creatures, I think this world would be a better place for all

Learn what?

Learn to pass up a meal?

Hmmmmm...

The Tiger is simply taking his time,
allowing the foolish goat fatten up in order to enjoy bigger meat.
till then, enjoy your friendship, Mr. Goat.
Wise Tiger!