This is the story about the truest form of friendship you will ever get to witness. It’s about Ruuxa, the cheetah, and Raina, the dog, who are telling the world the real meaning of “best friends forever.”
Even though a mother cheetah can bear up to nine cubs at once, they will only have a litter of 3 to 5 cubs. Ruuxa, however, was the only one in his litter when his b=mother gave birth to him at the San Diego Zoo. Mother cheetahs think the single cubs wouldn’t survive in the wild, so they abandon such a cub. Ruuxa, too, was sadly abandoned.
However, the zoo staff were there for him. However, instead of choosing another like his own wild nature, the zookeepers chose an 8-week-old Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy named Raina for his companionship.
San Diego Zoo
The zoo wanted Ruuxa and Raina to spend their entire lives together. In case Ruuxa needs to be moved to another habitat or faces an unfamiliar situation, Raina’s body language will help him keep his calm.
San Diego Zoo
Soon enough, the zookeepers realized that Ruuxa’s legs were not developing properly. He was born with chondrodysplasia, a growth abnormality which made Ruuxa’s legs grow in a bow shape instead of straight.
Because the zookeepers were scared Ruuxa wouldn’t be able to run properly because of his condition, the zoo’s vet performed a corrective surgery on him in 2014.
San Diego Zoo
Even then, Raina didn’t leave his best friend alone. She was there for his recovery and never touched his bandages.
San Diego Zoo
Now, Ruuxa has completely recovered; all thanks to Ruuxa! He is one and a half years old now and has even competed in the Shiley’s Cheetah Run! Now, they have become like siblings to each other!
San Diego Zoo
Watch the beautiful bond between them in the video below:
