Black bear hug for badger in 'odd couple' safari park

The tiger and the goat are now separated, but Primorsky Safari Park in the Russian Far East now boasts two more unexpected playmates. But how real is this? And how much is the safari park using such scenes as a marketing ploy? 

To us, the badger here - called Nastya - looks as if she'd rather have someone her own size to romp around with. Park director Dmitry Mesentsev said it is impossible to see such an example of so warm a relationship of a bear and a badger in natural conditions. 

These species have the same food supplies and they usually compete for food, he said. 'The atmosphere in our safari park is very friendly, so all the species are friends and play with each other,' he claimed. 

The video shows the male bear Mishutka hugging the female badger, but the smaller animal seems in danger of being clawed or bitten by the larger creature. 

Many animals lovers criticised the safari park for milking the publicity of the tiger and the goat, and after some weeks of friendly walks and hanging out together, the big cat indeed became more aggressive to the goat. 

Hopefully the badger will not suffer if the park continues to encourage this friendship unknown in nature. Please see links here for our previous stories on the tiger and the goat:

This goat was meant to be the tiger's lunch, but now it bosses the big cat

It looks like ultimate male bonding, but can it last?

Thousands of people queue to see the odd couple tiger and goat

Is the beautiful friendship between the tiger and goat about to end?

Hero goat rushed to safety amid fears over behaviour of his Tiger 'friend'