The young gawky animals have become fast friends at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Fla.
Bea and Wilma have become great friends during their time together at Busch Gardens in the U.S. The two share a huge 65-acre enclosure, so they aren’t forced to spend time together – they do so willingly.
Perhaps they’ve bonded over their long necks? Their beautiful gaits? Whatever it is, something magical has brought Bea the giraffe and Wilma the ostrich together at Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Fla. According to zookeepers, the two young creatures just can’t seem to get enough of each other.
Bea, 3, and Wilma, 10, live on the 65-acre Serengeti Plain, an exhibit filled with giraffes, zebras, rhinos, African elephants and birds. Though most animals tend to hang out with their own species, Bea and Wilma – who were both born and raised on the theme park grounds – have reached out to each other.
“There’s plenty of opportunity for the animals to interact and know one another,” assistant curator Jason Green tells PEOPLE Pets.
“Giraffes and ostriches are both naturally curious animals, too, and they don’t shy away from checking each other out.”
Image credits: PA
Are they just friends, or forming a love connection? Green says they “seem to enjoy spending time together.”
A true testament to their bond: “Bea likes to use her tongue to explore her surroundings, and Wilma isn’t fazed by those very close encounters,” says Green. Sounds like love to us!
