In an incredible moment, a brave dog sneaked into a Cheetah enclosure and started to bark at one of the wild cats at an Australian zoo.?
According to a report in the Daily Mail, a group of people who were visiting Canberra's National Zoo and Aquarium witnessed the bizarre encounter on Friday.?
In the pictures captured of the incident, the dog can be seen constantly barking at one of the large cheetahs in the woodland enclosure, while the spotted cat lies on its side enjoying the sun. The dog seemed unfazed at the presence of the Cheetah.?
The visitors got to witness more than what they had bargained for. The dog was seen leaning down on its front paws in a playful manner, wagging its tail as the cheetah bared its sharp teeth and growled.?
In one particular moment, the Cheetah look bothered as he raised a?paw in an attempt to scare the intruder away, however the dog remains unrelenting.??
The dog continues to circle the wild animal as the cheetah grows tired of being troubled, finally pulling itself up onto its front paws.?
The dog retreats a few metres away from the Cheetah but continues to bark.??
Dogs have long been considered man's best friend, but they have also earned a lesser known title of "cheetah's best friend." That's right; dogs are being used more and more frequently to assist in conservation efforts to preserve the endangered cheetah.?
In the United States, the San Diego Zoo?has assigned companion dogs to cheetahs that are involved in the zoo's captive breeding program.
As per a report in Treehugger, the primary goal of comforting cheetahs through this unusual partnership is to make them at ease in their captive environment so that they will be able to breed with other cheetahs.??
The dog-and-cat buddy system has been employed in at least 15 zoos across the US, including in Virginia and Dallas.? ?
Cheetah cubs are paired with canine companions at about 3 or 4 months of age. Once the cheetah and dog establish a bond, they are moved into a shared living space where they spend almost every moment together, except feeding time.?