EXCERPT: 'Frenemies for Life' By John Becker

John Becker writes about unlikely friendships among various wild animals.

ByABC News via logo
August 4, 2010, 1:13 PM

Sept. 9, 2010— -- In his new book, "Frenemies for Life," John Becker writes about the unlikely friendships forged among wild cats and domestic dogs. From when they were puffs of fur to full-grown animals, these diverse species created a long-lasting bond.

Read an excerpt from the book below and head to the "GMA" Library to find more good reads.

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A young cheetah crouches silently in the grass, his gaze fixed on the unsuspecting puppy frolicking just a few yards away. When the puppy rolls onto its back, wiggling in delight, the cheetah slinks down even more and inches closer and closer.

Suddenly, with the explosive quickness that only a cheetah can call upon when attacking its prey, the young predator bounds forward, and in little more than a heartbeat, pounces on the startled puppy. "Yowl!" the puppy cries out as the cheetah traps it. Then the two animals tumble over and over in a rolling ball of fur and claws.

Suddenly another furry puppy and a lightning-quick cheetah cub join them. For the next several minutes, the four natural enemies chase each other around the grassy enclosure, zigzagging in and out, play-biting, swatting, growling, chirping, and wrestling each other. What might seem like a life-and-death struggle among mortal enemies was, in reality, just a playful romp, ending with none of them hurt and all of them ready for a long afternoon nap.

The two cheetah cubs and two Anatolian shepherd puppies (Ro, Reh, Reese, and Ruth) are best of friends, and they play together in an exercise yard at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, Ohio. In the wild, these animals would never live together, so why would a zoo think this is a good idea? The answer is surprising, and it's all about saving cheetahs.

To clear up this mystery, Jack Hanna, Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and host of Jack Hanna's Into the Wild television program, makes it a priority to tell people about what is going on—and what the Columbus Zoo and other concerned groups across the country are doing.