Mar 3, 2025 - Things to Do
At the Richmond zoo, a Labrador is a cheetah's best friend
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Kumbali (top) and Kago when they were younger. Photo: Courtesy of the Metro Richmond Zoo
At the Metro Richmond Zoo, a cheetah's best friend and emotional support animal is a Labrador Retriever.
Why it matters: We love unlikely animal friendships.
The big picture: Kumbali the cheetah and Kago the Lab-mix are celebrating their 10th birthdays — and a decade of being besties — in May.
- The duo were paired together in 2015 because Kumbali needed a friend, and like most cheetahs, he's an anxious scaredy cat.
- Labradors, on the other hand, are known for being chill, social and friendly, which is why U.S. zoos often bond them with cheetahs as puppies.
- And yes, they cuddle with each other.
We like to think Kumbali has no idea Kago isn't a cheetah, and the zoo wrote in 2015 that they don't seem to recognize their differences.
- "Maybe we, as humans, have some things to learn from these two."