Unlikely friendships are the best kinds of friendships. A sailor and a shark. A cat and a bunch of tiny goats. A mouse and a mini Babybel. An apple and a worm. But today we’re looking at a friendship that has blossomed between a racoon and a fawn.
Ah, racoons - the wonderfully chaotic trash pandas that steal not only your garbage, but also your heart. Their tiny faces, fluffy bodies, and eyes as dark as the abyss we all float within may hypnotize you into coming closer or inviting them in, but be wary - it’s a trap.
On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, we have fawns, the delicate, graceful creatures that deserve to be grazing the gardens of Eden. So how did the two come together to form such a close bond? Well, it was all thanks to Texas Fawn and Friends! Its founder, Carrie Long, was kind enough to share their story with Bored Panda, so let's get into it!
A video of a fawn named Hope and a raccoon named Jasper has quickly gone viral due to their unlikely yet adorable friendship and shared hugs
Image credits: texasfawnandfriends
Nature is truly fascinating! We're so used to seeing certain interactions, yet others take the cake for the most wholesome but unexpected.
A video of a raccoon and a fawn has gone viral on Instagram, with 432K views. The raccoon named Jasper can be seen sneaking up on Hope, the fawn, and then pouncing on her, giving her hugs and play biting at her. He then decides that she looks like a comfortable pillow, climbing all around her to continue his hug attack from another angle. It’s absolutely hilarious.
"The whole purpose of the Jasper/Hope video was to get a smile or a giggle out of whomever saw it! This world is tough and a little humor never hurt anyone!" said Carrie Long, the founder of Texas Fawn and Friends.
So how did it come to this?
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Carrie Long of Texas Fawn and Friends, a non-profit organization for orphaned and injured fawns, received a call last year regarding an injured raccoon
Image credits: Texas Fawn and Friends
Carrie had been used to caring for injured and abandoned fawns, but the call she received last year was a little different.
The licensed wildlife rehabilitator listened to the speaker on the other end of the line who’d found a 2-3 week old raccoon clinging to life. Abandoned by its mom and caught in a rainstorm, it didn’t have many lifelines. Carrie simply couldn’t leave a creature in need behind, so she decided to take it in.
Texas Fawn and Friends soon became the baby racoon’s new home. Carrie named the raccoon Jasper. “He had just had his eyes opened and he was just the cutest little thing ever,” she told NBC 5.
The 2-3 week old creature had been abandoned in a rainstorm. Carrie decided to take it in and nurse it back to health, as well as offer it a new home
Image credits: Texas Fawn and Friends
Although they weren’t sure whether Jasper would recover well, the raccoon was growing up well and healthy, all thanks to their loving care. Despite reaching adulthood and being free to go anywhere he wanted, Jasper decided to continue calling Carrie’s non-profit his home.
She told Bored Panda that she started the non-profit a couple of years back. What started with a couple of fawns soon grew into 75-80 fawns per year. "I really had no idea of the volume of fawns I would get in," she said. "It's an incredible amount of work and not to mention very expensive! But I love it!!!"
The raccoon seemed to enjoy all the fawns, but there was one in particular that caught his tiny black eyes.
A young fawn arrived soon after Jasper. She had lost her mother at a young age and was in need of care. Carrie named her Hope, and Jasper immediately caught interest
Image credits: Texas Fawn and Friends
A young fawn arrived at Texas Fawn and Friends soon after Jasper. Carrie named her Hope. She had lost her mother at a young age and was in need of care. The youngster would never have to be alone again, as Jasper was soon by her side.
The two would grow up together, although the growth spurts are a bit different per species.
It's quite difficult to tell the fawns apart when you don't have a trained eye, though Carrie reassured Bored Panda that "each fawn is very different. Although the spots look the same, each have their own pattern and color, especially in the fall when they start to shed their summer coat!"
"Their personalities are my favorite as each one is totally different," she continued. "The ones that are injured are usually the most loving ones of all. It’s almost like they know you are trying to help them." Perhaps Hope felt the same way about Jasper.
Image credits: texasfawnandfriends
“Jasper just loves her,” Carrie said. “When he sees her, he runs to lick and love on her. In the evening, she comes and lays next to him. It’s just the cutest thing”
Image credits: texasfawnandfriends
“Jasper just loves her,” Carrie told The Dodo. “When he sees her, he runs to lick and love on her. It’s just the cutest thing.” A day doesn’t go by without the two seeing each other. “In the evening, she comes and lays next to him. They’ve got a cool relationship going on,” Carrie continued.
She told Bored Panda that Jasper is just like “that irritating little brother that you have to put up with, but you really don't want to.” She laughed that Hope does her best to put up with him but isn’t as keen on him as Jasper is on her. “When he sees her he runs to her, jumps on her and she just deals with it. He loves to sit in front of her and lick her ears… it’s the funniest thing!"
"Raccoons bite when they play and he loves to just pounce on her! Why she allows it is way beyond me!" she continued. "He means no harm, but on occasion she will get enough of him and she will strike at him. She puts him in his place and he’s like, 'oh, I’m sorry!' and they will carry on!"
Hope isn’t the only friend Jasper has made. Tootsie the pup is also fond of the raccoon, the two playing together often. A video on Instagram shows the two enjoying a drink at the fountain, ending with a little hug session all thanks to Jasper.
Although adorable, Carrie laughed that Jasper sometimes acts like the small little brother you can’t get rid of and Hope just takes his outbursts of love like a champ
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Carrie expects that she’ll have over 100 orphaned fawns under her care, most if not all of which would not have survived without Texas Fawn and Friends and Carrie’s dedication to her work. “It’s very rewarding,” she said. But each of us can play a part in helping fawns in need and the best thing we can do is leave them alone.
"The fawns that I call 'stolen' fawns are perfectly healthy and were picked up by a human, who really felt like they were helping but in actuality they basically took the healthy fawn from its mother," Carrie explained. "Most of the time those fawns are, or can be, pretty difficult, as they're full of shock/stress, which is so hard to overcome."
On their website they have a list of questions to ask oneself when coming across a young deer. The location of the fawn is very important. If the fawn is quietly resting and you happen to stumble upon it, the creature is probably fine and the mom will be back soon! Many people want to do the best for a cute animal, but the best thing you can do in this case is leave it alone and don’t bother it.
If the fawn is on or near a road, safely pick the fawn up and place it off the road, away from traffic. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) asks one to wear gloves and a facemask to protect the health of the fawn and to be sure to consider their own safety when walking near a road. The mother will find the fawn, so again, unless the baby is injured, the best thing you can do is leave it alone.
Hope isn't the only friend Jasper has made! Tootsie the pup is also a close confidant, taking part in adventures and fountain time
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In the event that the mother has been hit (or perhaps the fawn is resting beside the mother off the side of a road), it's likely orphaned and will need help.
Does the fawn appear hurt or distressed? Is it bleeding? Are there visibly broken bones? Are there flies on the fawn or is there an odor? Is the fawn wet or shivering? Is the fawn making noise? Crying out? Mouth slightly open and panting? Are its legs laying out to its side or tucked safely underneath its body? Are its eyes open?
If the answer to any of these questions is “yes”, the fawn likely needs help. So how do you help? Start by keeping kids and pets away from the fawn to limit its distress and avoid causing more harm. Next, call the DNR, a veterinarian, or a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for further guidance.
Many rescues and wildlife experts agree that if you come across a fawn, the best you can do for it is leave it alone. If it seems in imminent danger, call the experts
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Simon Cowell, founder of the Wildlife Aid Foundation, states that “every year hundreds of young deer lose their lives because members of the public find a deer fawn that is on its own and appears to have been abandoned, and then they unwittingly interfere and cause infinitely more damage than if they had left the fawn alone.”
“Mother deer leave their young by themselves for long periods during the day and night, this is to prevent the fawn from becoming exhausted as it would if following its mother all day as she browses for food. The best thing you can do for this beautiful animal is to walk away as soon as possible.”
Spypoint makes a really good point on the other issue that follows interfering with a resting fawn: “Since most predators use their sense of smell to find food, a fawn, being scent-free, is difficult to find unless they trip over it. That’s why they feel comfortable leaving their fawns for short periods of time when danger approaches. The chance of being found is small.”
“Do you know what changes those chances? You, genius. You decided you wanted to take your family photo shoot today with this cute little spotted prop. Now you have it smelling like bacon grease, cigarettes, and sadness. Know what just got really easy for a coyote to find? That fawn that was perfectly scent-free two hours ago.” Great point and great writing style - much love.
We wish Hope and Jasper all the best and can’t wait to see more of their adventures going forward!
Image credits: Texas Fawn and Friends
So, class, let’s remember the rule. If you find a fawn, 1) don’t touch it, 2) walk away, 3) call the experts if you’re concerned. Got that? Amazing!
Carrie hopes to expand Texas Fawn And Friends in the near future. "I’d like to have a clinic and do webinars to educate the general public," she said. "Our wildlife can teach us all so much, I’d just like to be able to show and educate more people."
"If we don’t give back, we will wake up one day to limited wildlife. Seeing wildlife in a zoo is not the norm, although it has its purpose and it’s wonderful for those that live in an area that don’t have access to nature, but we need to respect wildlife and their natural habitat!"
You can watch the full video here - beware, it's super wholesome!
We wish Hope and Jasper all the best and can’t wait to see more of their hilarious adventures. The future seems bright for these two and the rest of the fawns on the grounds of Carrie’s nonprofit.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on the story in the comments below! Also, quick question for all of you - what do you think would be the most unlikely friendship to ever occur?
Hope y’all have a nice day, and don’t forget to upvote and follow the writer! Thanks so much and bye bye for now.
People have absolutely loved this story! Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and tell us - what would be the most unlikely friendship ever?
