The chimp who thinks he's a puppy: Baby abandoned by his mother adopted by giant bull mastiff (who treats him as one of her pack)



When this little chimp was abandoned by his mother his future looked grim.

But thanks to the unlikely intervention of a huge bull mastiff and her adorable litter of four puppies, his life was soon a lot happier.

The chimpanzee was born at a Russian zoo and was taken home by one of the staff after it became clear he had not bonded with his mother.

Chimp's best friend: This huge bull mastiff accepted the baby as one of her own litter after his mother abandoned him

Give us a cuddle: Her puppies also seemed perfectly happy to be playmates to the little chimp who loves cuddles

Identity crisis! The chimp appears to think he is one of the puppies and bends down to eat like them

By chance, her 100lb bull mastiff had just given birth and the dog was soon treating the new addition as one of the family.

Endearingly, the chimp soon seemed to think he was a puppy himself, bending double to eat from food bowls with his adoptive siblings.

The puppies were also great to play with – and particularly good when the abandoned baby wanted a cuddle.

Wearing a big nappy, the cheeky chimp embraces its new mum, caressing her ears and looking very content as he takes a snooze against her furry belly.

In another photo the chimp holds grabs an apple in its tiny hands to take a bite.

This chimp is now two and is reported to still be enjoying the company of its adopted canine family.