These heartwarming photos capture the unique friendship between a man and a cheetah.
While dogs are often called a man’s best friend, Andrey Golosov from Russia has found his perfect companion in Seva, a sleek and graceful cheetah.
Golosov, a 24-year-old veterinary student, cared for Seva when the cub’s mother abandoned him shortly after birth.
The premature birth left two of Seva’s siblings dead, and their mother rejected the last surviving cub.
Without hesitation, Andrey took Seva home and became his caretaker, bottle-feeding him and taking on the role of the cub’s mother.
Seva lived with Golosov for over five months before moving to Moscow Zoo. Despite Seva now being a fully grown and usually dangerous predator, the bond between the two has remained incredibly strong. Remarkable images show the affectionate cheetah cuddling and kissing the man who raised him.
Lilia Tkachenko, a 38-year-old photographer documenting their bond, said that Seva has always been gentle with Golosov.
“Andrey took Seva in after his mother abandoned him,” Tkachenko shared. “He fed Seva from a baby bottle and cared for him like a parent. Even though Seva lives at a nursery owned by Moscow Zoo and has cubs of his own, he still views Andrey as a step-father and is very affectionate towards him.”
This special bond between man and cheetah is a testament to the deep connection that can form between animals and their caregivers, no matter how unlikely it may seem.
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