Peanut the skunk and Annabelle and Lester the lion cubs were brought together after Peanut was found orphaned in Northern Ontario, Canada. And they all really do adore each other.
When they were just six weeks old, the decision was made to let the youngsters play together at Animals of Montana where the lion cubs were being bred in captivity. Annabelle and Lester, the two cubs, took Peanut, the skunk, in as one of their own.
Don Johnston, photographer and wildlife enthusiast, took the pics of the new friends playing together. According to Don, “The cubs were only a few weeks old about the same as the skunk and the cubs were still nursing with their den mother. The skunks were being bottle fed a milk formula.”
He went onto to say, “Once weaned skunks have an omnivorous diet. At that age the skunk’s scent glands are not developed so there was no worry about accidental spraying. It was funny to see them playing together, I’m not sure it would be the same when they get older.”
