Orphaned animals bond at a zoo

Animals at a zoo in Indonesia have formed an unlikely friendship.

A pair of baby orangutans and Sumatran tiger cubs have become best buddies! These animals don't often get along. In fact, orangutans are on a mature Sumatran tiger's menu.

Nia and Irma are orangutan sisters. Cubs Dema and Manis are tiger twins. These pairs formed a bond at the Taman Safari zoo. They currently share a room there. They are under the care of humans because their mothers abandoned them.

Because these animals are natural enemies, experts say the friendship cannot last long.

"When the time comes, they will have to be separated," said veterinarian Retno Sudarwati. "It's sad, but we can't change their natural behavior."

Both the orangutan and the Sumatran tiger live in Indonesia, where they are seriously endangered. Illegal hunting and habitat loss threaten the two species.

Experts estimate that there are fewer than 700 Sumatran tigers left in the wild. The number of orangutans has dropped to fewer than 60,000.

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