Bear, lion and tiger ('the BLT') are unexpected best friends

A very unusual trio has formed at an animal sanctuary in Georgia. Here's how Baloo the bear, Leo the lion and Shere Khan the tiger met.

"13 years ago, the trio of cubs was found in an Atlanta drug dealer's basement." The cubs were found in terrible condition, but shared a special connection. "They nuzzle each other, they play together."

They were brought to Noah's Ark, a nonprofit sanctuary for abused animals, in 2001. Now, Noah's Ark is home to the BLT: BLT as in Bear-Lion-Tiger, of course.

Noah's Ark notes that the BLT is the only bear-lion-tiger trio in the entire world that lives together in the same enclosure -- and it's probably because the animals are from different parts of the globe.

Baloo the bear is reportedly native to North America, Leo the lion to Africa, and Shere Khan the tiger to Asia.

Baloo, Leo and Shere Kahn's Facebook page says they just can't get enough of one another. It calls their friendship, "The most amazing relationship you will ever see between three very large predators in your lifetime."

Emphasis on the very large. Shere Khan is 400 pounds, Leo is 500 pounds, and Baloo the bear weighs in at 700 pounds.

The three "brothers" seem to do everything together, even killing cardboard giraffes.

"They eat, sleep and play together and even seek out grooming from one another, head rubbing and licking one another. It seems that their terrifying early months in life bonded the three together and they are truly inseparable," Noah's Ark explained. The trio has only been separated once, when Baloo needed surgery. While he was away, Leo and Shere Khan were reportedly extremely agitated.

Love this story? Check out this link if you'd like to help the BLT.