A caged tiger was given two live mice for a snack to cheer him up - only for the three animals to end up becoming friends. Sandokan the tiger became depressed after his life partner of 13 years died at their zoo in the city of Galati in eastern Romania. Zoo keepers brought Samira, a younger female tiger, to the cage, but the male tiger ignored her. This caged tiger (pictured) was given two live mice for a snack to cheer it up - only for the three animals to end up becoming friends . Sandokan the tiger became depressed after his life partner of 13 years died at the zoo they shared in the city of Galati in eastern Romania . Instead of eating the tiny mice, the tiger lets the tiny creatures wander around his cage - and even play in his fur . After racking their brains to come up with another solution, zoo staff decided the best thing would be to find him some alternative amusement. They released two mice into his cage - but rather than eating the tiny animals, he lets them wander around his cage and even play in his fur. Zoo spokesman Madalin Serban said: 'After his partner died last year we became very worried about Sandokan because he stopped eating and began gnawing at his own tail. 'It was very clear that he was mourning the loss. 'Other zoos tend to use medical treatments to cure animals of this sort of thing but that would have meant administering the drugs with a tranquilliser gun, which can be very traumatic for the animals. Head keeper Doru Ene said: 'It is certainly weird seeing mice in the cage with a tiger, but neither seems to have a problem with the other so why not?' Zoo staff say Sandokan is 'back to his old self' and has overcome the depression that set in after his life partner died . Staff had assumed that the male tiger would eat the mice once they were let lose in his cage . 'So we wanted to come up with a better solution and then we hit upon the idea of giving him a few live mice to play with, assuming that he would probably eat them. 'But instead he befriended them, making them into his new pals. Mice are great pets for humans as they are friendly and happily will interact but we didn't reckon a tiger would want them as a pet, but he did and now he is back to his old self. 'He happily lets the mice run around and play in his fur and the three live together just great.' Head keeper Doru Ene said: 'It is certainly weird seeing mice in the cage with a tiger, but neither seems to have a problem with the other so why not? I have however never seen anything like this and I was really surprised he didn't just eat the mice.'
Sandokan the tiger became depressed after his life partner of 13 years died .
Staff at the zoo in eastern Romania then introduced two mice in to his cage .
But rather than eating them, the tiger lets them play in his fur and run about .
A caged tiger was given two live mice for a snack to cheer him up - only for the three animals to end up becoming friends. Sandokan the tiger became depressed after his life partner of 13 years died at their zoo in the city of Galati in eastern Romania. Zoo keepers brought Samira, a younger female tiger, to the cage, but the male tiger ignored her. This caged tiger (pictured) was given two live mice for a snack to cheer it up - only for the three animals to end up becoming friends . Sandokan the tiger became depressed after his life partner of 13 years died at the zoo they shared in the city of Galati in eastern Romania . Instead of eating the tiny mice, the tiger lets the tiny creatures wander around his cage - and even play in his fur . After racking their brains to come up with another solution, zoo staff decided the best thing would be to find him some alternative amusement. They released two mice into his cage - but rather than eating the tiny animals, he lets them wander around his cage and even play in his fur. Zoo spokesman Madalin Serban said: 'After his partner died last year we became very worried about Sandokan because he stopped eating and began gnawing at his own tail. 'It was very clear that he was mourning the loss. 'Other zoos tend to use medical treatments to cure animals of this sort of thing but that would have meant administering the drugs with a tranquilliser gun, which can be very traumatic for the animals. Head keeper Doru Ene said: 'It is certainly weird seeing mice in the cage with a tiger, but neither seems to have a problem with the other so why not?' Zoo staff say Sandokan is 'back to his old self' and has overcome the depression that set in after his life partner died . Staff had assumed that the male tiger would eat the mice once they were let lose in his cage . 'So we wanted to come up with a better solution and then we hit upon the idea of giving him a few live mice to play with, assuming that he would probably eat them. 'But instead he befriended them, making them into his new pals. Mice are great pets for humans as they are friendly and happily will interact but we didn't reckon a tiger would want them as a pet, but he did and now he is back to his old self. 'He happily lets the mice run around and play in his fur and the three live together just great.' Head keeper Doru Ene said: 'It is certainly weird seeing mice in the cage with a tiger, but neither seems to have a problem with the other so why not? I have however never seen anything like this and I was really surprised he didn't just eat the mice.'
became depressed after his life partner of 13 becoming friends . Sandokan the tiger became depressed after his life partner of 13 years died eastern Romania . Instead of eating the tiny around his cage - and even play in his fur . but rather than eating the tiny animals, he lets