(NewsNation Now) — In the animal world, we hear all the time about unlikely friendships, but one in South Africa is truly one for the ages. The Care for the Wild Rhino Sanctuary in Barberton, South Africa, is where the new friends met.
First we have Daisy, a rhino calf who was rescued in the wild when she was only a day old. She was found with her umbilical cord still wrapped around her neck. She was weak and unable to stand when rescuers found her and brought her to the sanctuary.
Without colostrum from her mother’s milk, the same substance that gives human babies disease resistance, Daisy is vulnerable to illness. She received antibiotics and plasma frequently early in her stay while she got stronger.
Next, we have her new best friend, Modjadji, a zebra foal who was found wandering and hungry after several intense storms came through the area. Daisy took to her new zebra friend immediately and now the two spend their days cuddling and nuzzling, helping each other heal.
Now that both animals are stronger, they are able to play together a bit and have continued to develop their bond, according to shelter founder Petronel Nieuwoudt.
If you’d like to learn more about the work of the Care for the Wild Rhino Sanctuary, or donate to help care for Daisy, Modjadji and other rescued wildlife, click here.