The Australian Reptile Park in Somersby, New South Wales was shut down throughout April and May due to the pandemic, but the zookeepers made sure to care for the animals every day.As the daily habitat cleanings put Hope the wombat and Elsa the koala together in one enclosure, a surprising and sweet friendship formed.The adorable pair have since become inseparable and simply love cuddling with one another!

You can always count on your friends to turn any difficult situation into a happy one.One such friendship blossomed between two animals at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby, New South Wales.The pandemic has forced the park to shut down throughout April and May, but the zookeepers made sure to feed and care for the animals every day.Elsa, a sweet koala bear, has been under the care of the zookeepers shortly after her birth a year ago. Her mother had come down with mastitis.

Elsa recently gave birth to a baby of her own, cute little Ash.

Hope, meanwhile, was a rescue. Her mother was hit by a car.

One of the zookeepers, Dan Rumsey, explained the similarities and differences between koalas and wombats: “Both marsupials with pouches. Give to birth to live young that stay in the pouch for the first six months. Both herbivores.”

“Koalas are mostly arborial (lives in trees) and wombats dig burrows in the ground for shelter. They both have long claws but wombats use them for digging and koala use them for clinging to trees.”

Had they lived in the wild, the two would most likely not interact with each other.

Dan shared how their friendship formed: “The pair became close buddies with keepers often putting Hope the Wombat in the enclosure with Elsa. It didn’t take long for them to become the best of friends!”

The pair have since become inseparable and simply love cuddling with one another.

Even the zookeepers were surprised to see them bond during the daily habitat cleanings.

“We were quite surprised to see the friendship forming! Although as a species, the wombat and the koala are related, it’s unusual to see them interact like this!” Dan shared.

Elsa and Hope are simply the cutest!