They really are friends! The lynx and the chimp who have become the best of pals

Varli is a 20-month-old chimpanzee who lives at Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina
He has struck up a friendship with a nine-week-old lynx called Sutra
The pair spend their days playing, having a cuddle and even sleep side-by-side

PUBLISHED: 07:17 EST, 1 July 2013 | UPDATED: 09:01 EST, 2 July 2013

In an unlikely match, a baby chimp and a lynx cub have become the best of friends.

Varli, a 20-month-old chimpanzee and his nine-week-old pal Sutra, struck up the friendship at Myrtle Beach Safari, in South Carolina, U.S.

The pair spend their days chasing each other around the wildlife park, having a cuddle and even sleep side-by-side.

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Best friends: Varli, a 20-month-old chimpanzee and his nine-week-old pal Sutra

Director of the park, Dr Bhangavan Antel, told The Sun: 'It's a natural friendship.

'Varli gives Sutra the ability to have so much more adventure. He lives with him around the clock.'

A lynx is a medium-sized wildcat with a short tail and tufts of black hair on the tips of its ears.

The smallest of the species are the bobcat and Canada lynx while the largest is the Eurasian lynx.

Protective: They spend their days chasing each other, having a cuddle and even sleep side-by-side

Playful: Varli loves to ape around with Sutra his wildcat pal

Where the wild things are: The director of the park has said the friendship is natural

Bond: The lynx and the chimp have become the best of pals looking out for each other day to day

Sutra is a wild cat but Varli the chimp does not seem worried by any threat of danger

Larking around: The pair spend most of their time playing at Myrtle Beach Safari, in South Carolina

Despite Sutra being a wildcat, she doesn't mind being cuddled by Varli the chimpanzee

Varli and Sutra love to hang out with each other in their wildlife park in South Carolina

I'm behind you: Sutra plays a game of hide and seek with his best mate Varli

Loyal: Varli places his arm around nine-week-old Sutra the lynx cub

Human Dynamics and Interpersonal Connections