Animals tend to hang around other animals of the same species, but two very different animals bonding and becoming friends certainly isn’t that uncommon. A pup and a kitten, for example, is one of the classic examples of this. However, the following friendship can definitely be described as completely unique and unexpected – and it’s an absolutely heartwarming one to top it all off.

These two friends, Leonardo and Simon, have been inseparable ever since they met.

A fairly large zoo in Bangkok, Thailand, was shutting down in 2013 – and plenty of animals were in need of a new home. One of those poor animals was Leonardo, an absolutely adorable and giant African spurred turtle. Leonardo was quite an exotic animal as he was living in the middle of Asia, and the crew feared that they wouldn’t be able to find a new home for him.

However – in the same year as the zoo shut down permanently, he was given a home at an animal sanctuary nearby. The Wildlife Friends Foundation made sure that Leonardo would be safe and cared for. The non-profit takes in animals who have been rescued or abused, and they also try and care for animals with special needs such as Leonardo’s best friend, Simon.

Three years later, Simon the cow arrived at the sanctuary.

Simon needed a lot of help and assistance as the poor cow was actually injured. He had an accident in 2016 that ended up costing him one of his legs. The cow was caught in a vine, with absolutely horrifying and perhaps unexpected consequences. The injury he sustained was so severe that doctors had no other choice but to amputate a large part of his hind leg.

The sanctuary staff decided to put Leonardo and Simon together in the same area, as the cow wasn’t exactly as mobile as he used to be and needed a space of his own. Luckily, Leonardo, the tortoise, didn’t mind at all to share his habitat. In fact, he even welcomed Simon with open arms.

The shelter staff didn’t expect these two to become the best of friends.

It’s incredible to witness their friendship as these two animals have almost nothing in common. Who would’ve thought that a young cow and large hard-shelled turtle would become inseparable? They absolutely love spending time together, and the camera will often catch Simon trying to cuddle with Leonardo – and the turtle absolutely loves it. You can even tell that Simon is very caring of his tortoise friends, as he carefully watches where he puts his feet.

The sight of Simon showing some affection towards Leonardo is just too sweet! There is a bit of a difference between the energy levels of both animals, though, but whenever Simon wants to take a quick walk, Leonardo will be waiting for him to return.

As you might’ve noticed, Leonardo is quite large, even though some tortoises can definitely grow impressive in size. His species is more scientifically known as the Sulcata Tortoise, and they’re actually the third largest tortoise species in the world. They’re known for their calm and warm personality and are also often kept as pets.

Be sure to watch some of the amazing and adorable interactions between Simon and Leonardo in the video below.

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Source: Wildlife Friends