Monday

Both are meant to be isolated hunters that strike fear into everything they meet.

But this male bear and female wolf clearly see the softer side in one another and eat dinner with one another.

Each evening after a hard-day's hunting this pair of unlikely friends could be seen sharing a romantic deer carcass meal together as the sun set over their wilderness home.

Rare pictures show how the young brown bear and grey wolf would sit down to eat together and even enjoy romantic views over the landscape for up to two-hours

The heart-warming pictures of this unusual partnership were captured by nature photographer Lassi Rautiainen, 56, in the wilds of northern Finland.

'No-one can know exactly why or how the young wolf and bear became friends,' said Lassi.


'I think that perhaps they were both alone and they were young and a bit unsure of how to survive alone.

'It seems to me that they feel safe being together, and so every evening met up for their dinner.'

These best friends were spotted meeting up every night for ten days straight for the time Lassi spent with them.


From between 8pm and 4am they would stay in each other's company for hours.

Lassi said: 'When I realised that no one had observed bears and wolves living near each other and becoming friends in Europe, I concentrated more and more on getting pictures to show what can happen in nature.


'Then I came across these two and knew that it made the perfect story.

'It's very unusual to see a bear and a wolf getting on like this.

'It is nice to share rare events in the wild that you would never expect to see.'
Source



Responses to "Bear strikes up unlikely friendship with a Wolf (Photos)"

  1. Anonymous says:

    That is a special site to see. How amazing.

  2. Unknown says:

    An unlikely friendship and partnership in nature . . . Humans could take a lesson from this . . .

  3. Anonymous says:

    The Deer was foolish. Being romantic.

  4. Unknown says:

    This is awesome! Thank you for your work on these extraordinary friends! I'm a wolf advocate, and am so happy to see these wonderful pictures!

  5. Anonymous says:

    thanx for sharing this amazing story!;)

  6. Unknown says:

    What wonderful pictures...very valuable...thank you so much for sharing these with us!

  7. Anonymous says:

    that's not what is happening. the wolf is waiting until the bear is done eating the carcass, likely left from a previous wolf kill of an ungulate. the wolf is foraging.

  8. Anonymous says:

    The "foraging" wolf is smart speculation. Still though, there has to be something said about the bear allowing the wolf to be in such proximity with no signs of aggression. I think the typical senerio would be the Bear fiercely protecting the meat from Wolves & either the Wolves run the Bear off, or the Bear successfully protects it's bounty! If the Bear did have instictual animosity, it would easily, without missing a beat, run the Wolf off. Furthermore, the pair was observed 10 days straight spending from between 8pm & 4am sharing & even whatching sunsets....as the photographer states.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Thank you for this beautiful story not only of the wolf/bear relationship, but the humbleness of the wolf waiting her turn. What grace God shows through your pictures. Thank you so very much!!!

  10. Anonymous says:

    animal behavior is not everything we know...I love it...

  11. Anonymous says:

    Beautiful...

  12. Anonymous says:

    Thank you for sharing the amazing natural world .

  13. Unknown says:

    Thank you so much for sharing something that I would never have seen if not for you,Lassi *~*

  14. Anonymous says:

    How beautiful :-)

  15. Anonymous says:

    People just have to be negative about what they don't understand

  16. Anonymous says:

    WE ARE ALL AS ONE...........WE ARE ALL RELATED

  17. Anonymous says:

    This is beautiful.Thank you so much for sharing. :)

  18. Anonymous says:

    I love when animals do things out of the ordinary. They don't look at differences or discriminate. People need to look up to the animals. I think this world would be a better place. :)

  19. Unknown says:

    People just don't realize that this has been happening a long time before we arrived, the animals have their own society man just took a little longer to realize it. Stay safe our brothers AHO!

  20. nancy says:

    this is so beautiful to see this god always seems to find a way to make things rigtht

  21. Anonymous says:

    One day the lion and lamb will be together in heaven so just maybe you got to see a little of heaven

  22. Anonymous says:

    What a beautiful story. Animals are incredible, and they can teach us so much! Stay safe my friends.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Very nice photos & background story however what's with all the crap about God's involvement? Why is not just nature doing it's thing sufficient cause & effect ?

  24. Anonymous says:

    Because god made nature and everything in it.

  25. Anonymous says:

    True that.

  26. Bienteveo says:

    The wolf is gregarious and must be a lonely animal badly seeking companionship and food. Bears are loners. This is not a romantic scene, this is a desperate wolf without its pack.

  27. they're clearly cooperating which means relationship is implicit

  28. Unknown says:

    If you know wolves as well as I do, 2 pictures tell the entire story. The picture of the wolf approaching the bear makes the relationship between the two clear. Look at her lowered head, her tail down almost between her legs, the slight crouch. She sees the bear as her alpha, or at the least sees him as a higher level pack member.

    The picture of her standing behind the bear confirms it. She's standing behind him. If she believed they were equal or she was boss she wouldn't be standing behind his shoulder. It's clear this works because she sees the bear as alpha, and won't do anything to make him angry. If she did, one good swipe of that bear paw and she would meet her end. Still gorgeous pix though, and confirmation that even in the wild unlikely pairs can get along when not forced to do so.

  29. Anonymous says:

    Thanks Betsy for what I think is a good explanation from the wolf point of view. However, the bear, a solitary critter not only tolerates the wolf, but trusts her and apparently enjoys her company- otherwise the bear would not even tolerate the wolf in its presence.

  30. Unknown says:

    Humans have A LOT to learn from wild animal behavior. This is beautiful footage! Thank you for sharing!!! It's too bad that humans are the most vicious, ruthless, and disgusting animals on the planet. Sometimes, I'm embarrassed to be one.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Beautiful. Thank you for sharing.

  32. Anonymous says:

    A wolf is "meant to be an isolated hunter"? Not sure I get that part. Enjoy the story though.

  33. Michele says:

    This is what is happening on earth right now, the animals and nature are the wayshowers!

  34. Anonymous says:

    Animals are smart like that. There's no threat in being different.

  35. sandy says:

    I totally agree!!

  36. Unknown says:

    Love!! thank u!!

  37. Unknown says:

    wolf my love

  38. Anonymous says:

    beautiful

  39. Anonymous says:

    I have been around a lot of bears while working at Glacier National Park never thought I would see this. God makes strange bedfellows, Priceless

  40. Taunya says:

    Indeed, maybe we did; and oh how beautiful it.is! People need to open up their hearts ... and know.

  41. Taunya says:

    I totally agree with you!! Yes thank you so very much for sharing your incredible experience with us. I will forget it not...')*

  42. Unknown says:

    Only if human beings can do this, the world would be some what better!!

  43. JuneBug says:

    Yes, the Bear is the Alpha, yet companionship or respect is observed. Animals are not that different in their views. " MAN" still has a lot to learn from the animals and we must respect and protect the earth for us all. May Peace and understanding bring us all closer to a common bond.

  44. Anonymous says:

    The bear can provide the wolf with loads of fish scraps - especially during the salmon run, and the wolf can chase down small/medium game.
    Isn't that pretty much the same way humans and dogs started co-existing? Wild dogs eating from our scrap piles, and/or humans intentionally feeding wild dogs to keep them from attacking.
    The two groups inevitably grow comfortable around each other, and the possible complexity of the bonds between them can increase proportionately to their intelligence levels.

  45. Anonymous says:

    Thats so beautiful. Why cant people get along like that. Two different animals get along just great!

  46. Anonymous says:

    Very, very amazing photos. Keep them coming.
    Cathy, ABQ., N.M..

  47. Anonymous says:

    I ship them...Bolf? Bolf anybody? I know its bad but beautiful pictures.

  48. Anonymous says:

    nature find away to adapt :D this is just awesome :D

  49. Anonymous says:

    This is so beautiful!!!!! Thanks for sharing with us. We as humans could learn a lot from this experience!

  50. pilvikki says:

    mainiota, mainiota!

    just baffled why everything needs to be analysed and/or attributed to god?

    why not just take it as it is: two friends meeting for dinner?

  51. Anonymous says:

    we are animals

  52. Anonymous says:

    This is when we need a First Nations storyteller to explain who these two souls were in life to end up together in the afterlife. Perhaps they were lovers in a previous life, like a prince and a princess who met an untimely demise, but agreed to meet again. Or... you know... "foraging".

  53. kjeepster says:

    Lots of good, intelligent commentary on their behavior. My only addition is that I find the text defining their relationship as romantic to be annoying.

  54. Anonymous says:

    Perspective...

  55. Anonymous says:

    So beautiful : )

  56. Anonymous says:

    why can't people get along like this

  57. Anonymous says:

    Wonder if they will recognize each other after the hibernation?

  58. Unknown says:

    Yes, thank you.

  59. Anonymous says:

    So little we humans still understand animals and their spirit <3

  60. Anonymous says:

    Cool!

  61. Anonymous says:

    We have a lot to learn about animals before limiting animals to the perception we have them.

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