What do an elephant and a dog have in common? Both species are considered to be among the most intelligent of the animal world. And that’s about it. But Bubbles the elephant (“bubble” from English) and Bella the dog (“beauty” from Italian) had one thing in common: a love of water.Bubbles the elephant was born in Africa.
She was rescued in the early 1980s when a herd of baby Bubbles was killed by poachers for her tusks (ivory was sold for a lot of money). From 1970 to 1989, the killing of elephants was not forbidden and was even legalized, so in some 20 years the elephant population in Africa was halved. Even after the 1989 ban, elephants continued to be killed – about 30,000 a year. So Bubbles was lucky to be taken to the United States.
When she was brought to Myrtle Beach Safari Park (South Carolina, USA) she was 110 cm tall and weighed 155 kg. Today she is 34 years old – she has grown to 3 meters tall and has gained up to 4 tons of weight. By the way, Bubbles is a real star. She starred in the movie “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” (“Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls”), a music video by Janet Jackson and several commercials.
In 2007, the park was renovating a swimming pool, and one of the workers brought in a Labrador puppy, which he ended up leaving at the preserve. It was from the pool that their friendship began, and it continues to this day. They spend a lot of time together – walking, playing, splashing. Bella even uses Bubbles as a water slide or springboard for jumping. Neither their difference in size nor their difference in species stops their friendship. Maybe people should look up to them, too.