Where It All Began
Here's a heartwarming story about one of the most unexpected animal friendships ever seen. Are you ready?
It all began in an animal rescue center known as Oasis of the Siberian Tiger, located in Senec, Slovakia. Ever heard of this place before?
The Magical Town Of Senec
Senec is a magical city located just a couple of hours away from Slovakia's capital, Bratislava. It's most famous for its crystal-clear lakes and lagoon villas surrounded by lush-green fields.
However, what many people don't know is that there's an amazing wildlife sanctuary unique in its kind just a few miles away.
The Founding Mother
The Oasis of Siberian Tiger was founded back in 1999 by a woman named Iveta Irsova, one of the heroes of our story.
Thanks to the help and devotion of dozens of other volunteers, Iveta and her team launched what is now one of the most famous tiger sanctuaries in Europe.
On The Brink Of Extinction
This wildlife sanctuary was created with the aim of rescuing a population of Ussurian tigers, commonly known as Siberian tigers, from extinction.
Just so you know, Siberian tigers are on the brink of extinction, as there are barely more than 500 left in the world. Isn't that heartbreaking?
A Breeding Program
There are two main reasons why Siberian tigers are becoming extinct: first of all, poaching, and second of all, habitat loss, partly as a result of climate change.
This being said, Yveta and her team are passionate about tigers and they feel it's their destiny to prevent them from becoming extinct and they've started off a breeding program to increase the tiger population.
Beautiful Tigers
This being said, Oasis is home to 22 dashing and healthy Siberian tigers, all of whom have been micro-chipped and DNA tested.
Bred under captivity, they all receive proper medical aid and plenty of food. As crazy as it sounds, this represents nearly 5% of the total amount of tigers that inhabit the earth!
Tiger Gardens
Oasis also aims for these tigers to live in a similar environment than that of their natural habitat - namely, the forests of northern Russia.
That's why the sanctuary comprises dozens of acres brimmed with long grass, bushes, and trees, where the felines can move around freely. This magical site is where our story takes place!
Open Doors
The Oasis wildlife sanctuary is actually open to public. It opens its doors on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 pm, and you must contact the center in advance if you plan on paying a visit.
One day, a young woman scheduled a visit at the sanctuary. However, little did she imagine what she would encounter.
The Eyewitness
It was just another ordinary summer day when Lucia Zustakova chose to visit Oasis. A volunteer named Martin Ziman was touring her around the premises, when all of a sudden, they saw something unbelievable.
They realized that a tiger was about to attack a group of helpless dogs, so she immediately went for her cell-phone to capture the whole scene.
Too Close!
Actually, this tigress was having a moment with her cub, when a dog started getting closer to her enclosure. But it was a only a matter of seconds before the tigress became aware of the intruder.
Like the true wild cat that she is, slowly creeping towards its unsuspecting victim, she meticulously planned her next move.
Ready To Attack
Reaching the entrance of the enclosure, the dog got a little too close to the wild cat... and we all know about the rivalry between felines and dogs!
Lucia and the volunteer noticed that the feline had the upper hand and seemed to be ready to attack. But instead, this happened!
They Lunged At Each Other
The German shepherd had a fast reaction and saw the tigress lunging at him, so he did the same. But we all know that dogs don't stand a chance against tigers, which happen to be the largest felines in the world!
However, before you think that the pooch met his end right that day, you should know that you couldn't be more wrong!
It's Playtime
You'll never believe what happened next. Instead of attacking the poor little Shepherd, the tiger began playing with him!
If it's too hard to imagine it, check out the entire story and you will see that the pooch and the tigress acted as if they were siblings!
An Unusual Bond
You're probably wondering, what was a German Shepherd doing in the middle of a tiger rescue center? Good question!
Well, it happens to be that Iveta, the owner of Oasis, owns three beautiful German Shepherds. They've grown up surrounded by tigers, so they're pretty much used to them!
Best Friends
In 2017, Oasis welcomed a new tigress named Suria. As the weeks went by, the volunteers began to realize that Suria would often approach Iveta's three German Shepherds: Blacky, Hugo, and Jenny.
In fact, as the weeks went by, the feline and the three pooches began hanging out with each other every day! What are the odds?
Suria And The Pupus
So before they knew it, Black, Hugo and Jenny had become best friends, and Iveta and her team were just bewildered!
It's a widely known fact that animals of different species can learn to interact with each other when held under captivity. But in spite of this, tigers and dogs becoming friends sounds like something that only happens in Disney movies, right?
Testimonies
In case you still don't believe me, let's see what the volunteers have to say. "They are really like siblings and play together all day long. They never hurt each other”, said one of the workers named Lucas.
But what did Lucia have to say about this? After all, she's the one who took most of the photos which became viral.
Lucia's Words
"It is nice to see it all and it is so amazing when you are so near these beautiful animals. Suria plays with the dogs every day and they just love her", Lucia said in an interview.
"I love animals and love the oasis – it’s a great project to help these tigers that are facing extinction,", the woman added.
Getting Some Love
Dogs might not be able to communicate with a tiger, but these three pooches sure enjoy the feline's company, and they sure know how to get their ears licked and will stay there until Suria is done!
And the cutest thing is that we also have some photos of them when they were tiny cubs! Prepare for a ton of cuteness.
They're Playing Around!
It might look like these two are at each other's throats, but don't you worry, they're actually just playing around.
What further proof do you need? Check out how much fun these buddies seem to be having in the snow!
Snow Is Awesome
There's nothing better than running around and jumping in the snow, and we know all pups love to hop around and play with snowballs.
The shepherds have an awesome friend in Suria, who, in turn, loves chasing and being chased around. Look at it jump!
Always Together
Even in the summer, the odd friends are hanging around, taking a bath and enjoying a carefree life. Nothing has changed in all these years.
Check out Suria and Jenny when they were little ‘girls’! Give us a break, we’re dying over here!
Too Cute!
Cuteness overload! Probably this photo has been making the rounds on the Internet for a while, and I bet you had always wondered about the story behind it.
Well, now you know that this is Suria toying around with one of her puppy friends. Not only did they grow up together, but they enjoy each other's company day and night.
Eye On The Ball
Suria and the dogs love chewing on toys until they suddenly deflate and they also enjoy licking each other's faces. They've become best buds and we're sure that their friendship will evolve throughout the years.
But wait a moment... did you notice that Suria was with another tiger in some of the photos that we've shown? Well, guess what!?
Inseparable Friends
Just like Blacky, Hugo, and Jenny grew up together with Suria and became inseparable, now Suria has a baby of her own, called Sunny.
The canines are always around the cub, too! Let's see some more photos, most of which were captured by Lucia!
They Love Her
“Suria plays with the dogs every day and they just love her,” said Lucia in an interview with Daily Mail.
Now, Sunny is also enjoying the quality time with the dogs and they all behave as if they were a big family. An odd one, that's for sure!
All Day Long…
Like all shepherd dogs, they are always around to make sure you’re protected. This time, one gets to play with the big cat and the others look out for any incoming enemies.
Thankfully, they’re all safe and volunteer Martin Ziman said that they “play together all day long.”
Best Friends Forever
Nobody would have thought that dogs could become friends with tigers, but these friends have grown up together.
In other words, they've grown used to being around each other and playing together, and Ziman said that none of the volunteers ever saw them hurt each other!
Great Guard Dogs
It’s not the first time we’ve seen dogs making weird friendships, and it surely won’t be the last.
But these guys are really special, playing with tigers and helping with keeping them out of harm’s way!
Big Cute Cats
Who doesn’t like such a moving story, especially when it’s about having friends and a bunch of cute animals?
We’re so glad that the Oasis is taking care of their big cats. Talking about cats, check out the other residents…
Cats Love Boxes
We all know that cats are fascinated by boxes, but it seems that this runs deeper in the feline family! These tigers and lion are enjoying their cardboard box!
Meanwhile, in the last photo, one of the tiger cubs at the sanctuary is playing with one of the Shepherds' balls!
The Perfect Home
Toys are perfect when it comes to cats – and we’re talking about all kinds of cats! As you can see, the big kitties at the Oasis are in for a treat!
Their life is perfect at the sanctuary and we cannot wait to see more updates on Suria, Sunny and the trio of German shepherds!