It’s like something out of a Disney film: a black bear and a wolf put aside their differences to play, hunt, and eat together.
Photographer Lassi Rautiainen had the remarkable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the two animals over the course of 10 days. And lucky for us, he took photos.
What’s the explanation for this odd couple? One theory is that the wolf and bear met when they were younger animals and learned to rely on each other for survival. Wolves, however, are known to be extremely social, and there have been reported cases of husky dogs, which are close relatives of wolves, forming bonds with polar bears.
Enjoy the incredible shots below, and be sure to check out more of Lassi’s photographs on his Facebook page.