This is one of the most adorable animal friendships that we’ve seen in a long time. Bubbles the African elephant and Bella the black Labrador, both residents at the Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina, have become the best of friends, and can often be seen playing in the water together. Pictures have been published of them playing fetch in the water – Bubbles throws the ball with her trunk while Bella jumps off of Bubbles’ head or back and swims to retrieve the ball.
Bubbles was rescued in Africa after her parents were discovered ᴅᴇᴀᴅ by ᴘᴏᴀᴄʜᴇʀs during a 20-year massacre of elephants for ivory. She was one of just a few elephants adopted; the others were freed or sʟᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ due to a lack of suitable facilities. Bubbles was barely 340 pounds and 42 inches tall when she ɪɴɪᴛɪᴀʟly came. She is now almost 9 feet tall and weighs around 4 tons. The contractor who built Bubbles’ swimming pool ᴀʙᴀɴᴅᴏɴᴇᴅ Bella in the park.
Luckily, they’ve found each other! What other heartwarming animal friendships have you heard of?
Bubbles the African elephant and Bella the black Lᴀʙʀᴀᴅᴏʀ often play in the water together at Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina.
“Bubbles’ family was ᴋɪʟʟᴇᴅ in 1981 by ivory ᴘᴏᴀᴄʜᴇʀs. She was one of the fortunate few that sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇᴅ the sʟᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ. Today tens of thousands of elephants are still being ɪʟʟᴇɢᴀʟly poᴀᴄʜᴇd for their ivory.”
Bubbles came to the sᴀɴᴄᴛᴜᴀʀʏ in 1983 after ivory ᴘᴏᴀᴄʜᴇʀs left her ᴏʀᴘʜᴀɴᴇᴅ. Meanwhile, Bella was ᴀʙᴀɴᴅᴏɴᴇᴅ by her owner, a contractor who was worᴋɪɴɢ on a pool at the sᴀɴᴄᴛᴜᴀʀʏ in 2007.
“In 2007, a contractor hired to build Bubbles a swimming pool, abandoned Bella as a puppy at The Preserve. The pool and eventually the river presented these two the opportunity to interact in a way that developed a deep and lasting friendship.”
Now Bubbles loves to play with Bella, teasing her and then throwing a tennis ball for her to fetch.
