Animals like interacting with different species, but the bond between these rare Siberian tigers and German shepherd dogs was quite extraordinary.
The Oasis of the Siberian Tiger is a Slovakian wildlife refuge dedicated to rearing endangered Siberian tigers in Senec, Slovakia.
The Oasis of the Siberian Tiger was founded in 1999 to save the huge cats, sometimes known as striped ussurian tigers, from extinction. At the sanctuary now, there are 25 tigers.
A partnership between a pair of Siberian tigers and three German shepherd dogs named Blacky, Hugo, and Jenny is part of the sanctuary’s unusual history. Suria and Sunny, the tigers, were born at the Siberian Tiger Oasis, a protected location where Siberian tigers are bred.
The dogs and the tigers share a special bond because they grew up together. The tigers, despite their size and power, play with the German shepherds and never hurt them. They frolic and chase one other as though hanging out with a tiger and German shepherd is the most natural thing in the world.
Lucia Zustakova, a guest, and Martin Ziman, a volunteer known for his photography, captured some of their shenanigans on film in 2015. Lucia Zustakova expressed herself as follows: “Every day, Suria plays with the dogs, and they adore her. I adore animals and the oasis – it’s a fantastic endeavor to save these endangered tigers.”
The tigers and dogs’ amazing bond is truly special to witness. According to volunteer Martin Ziman, “the five of them behave more like brothers than rival species” and “get along famously.”
While the refuge website does not provide information on where the dogs are currently, we do know that dogs live shorter than tigers. We can only hope that the tigers and dogs remain pals and enjoy their golden years together.