An Unlikely Friendship

While it’s not unusual for interspecies friendships to form in captivity, it’s not typical in the wild. Finnish photographer, Lassi Rautiainen, captured the remarkable bond between a young male bear and female wolf in a remote northern region of Finland. For 10 days straight, he witnessed their nightly encounters for dinner and hangouts into the early hours of the morning. While he’s unsure what motivated their friendship, he seems to think they feel safe together and that perhaps they need one another for survival, according to the Daily Mail. The pair’s friendly encounters contradict the general assumption that nature follows strict rules where predators hunt in solitary and adhere to the natural food chain. Perhaps their mutually beneficial relationship is based more on companionship? It makes you wonder whether or not the emotions of animals equally affect their behaviour as do their instincts. 

Brown bear and wolf friendship in Finland

Bear and wolf friendship in Finland, image by Lassi Rautiainen, date unknown, via Bored Panda

Brown bear and wolf friendship in Finland

Bear and wolf friendship in Finland, image by Lassi Rautiainen, date unknown, via Bored Panda

Brown bear and wolf friendship in Finland

Bear and wolf friendship in Finland, image by Lassi Rautiainen, date unknown, via Bored Panda

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