MOTHER NATURE NETWORK
By LAURA MOSS September 18, 2013, 11:08 a.m. CLICK HERE TO VIEW ARTICLE ON MOTHER NATURE NETWORK
Bubbles and Bella are the very best of friends, and neither seems to care about their difference in size — or species.
The unlikely pair lives together at the Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina and can often be seen walking, playing and splashing together on the 50-acre preserve.
Bubbles, a 32-year-old African elephant, came to the animal sanctuary in 1983 after ivory poachers left her orphaned.
In 2007, a contractor was hired to build a pool at the Myrtle Beach Safari, and when he abandoned his black Labrador at the preserve, Bubbles and the dog formed a bond.
Bella doesn’t seem to mind that her best friend is a movie star — the elephant has appeared in “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls,” a Janet Jackson music video and several advertisements.
To Bella, Bubbles is simply her much-larger companion, whose 9,000-pound body often doubles as the dog’s diving board.
Watch Bella and Bubbles splash and play in the video below.