Television: Joy when attraction crosses species

Animal species together makes for compulsive viewing.

If you're an animal lover then the seventh heaven of animal delight was watching part one of the two part BBC documentary Animal Odd Couples on TV ONE, 7.30pm, Tuesday.

I was envious of the presenter, wildlife biologist Liz Bonnin, travelling worldwide visiting unlikely cross-species pairings of animals ... some in captivity, others in the wild.

I felt like one of those side-show clowns, the ones where you try to throw balls into their widely grinning mouths.

A jaguar and a jack russell terrier, both in captivity since they were babies, spent their days (and probably nights) rubbing each other affectionately. They were great cobbers, batting and petting each other.

Also in captivity were a trio of animal chaps, fast friends totally alien to their species: a lumbering black bear, a tiger and a lion. They lived together in a wooden club-style house complete with outdoor verandah. They were tussling, nudging and hugging constantly but there was also an occasional slap round the ear if someone messed up in the house.

In Ireland a farming couple were beside themselves with delight at one of their barn cats.

The moggy had just given birth to three kittens and at the same time in the yard three duck eggs had hatched.

Mama cat's mothering hormones were on full alert as she stretched her paws tucking in her kittens, then pulling the ducklings into her warm furry belly as well.

The ducklings were even encouraged to suckle and they did, which was extraordinary as Lisa said ducklings don't drink milk ... it was a sight to see.

But those ducklings copped it when they started flitting over the top of the box to go exploring and though mum swiped them, they were off.

Later we saw them as half-grown ducks, waddling after the cat when she brought her kittens out for an airing into the yards - a very warm fuzzy indeed.

Another couple in Canada whose property bordered a forest were thrilled when a tiny dappled fawn trotted out of the trees and was immediately pulled in and loved-up their great dane, Kate.

The big dog wrapped herself round the little fawn, shared her dog bed and was the ultimate in a protective mum.

By the time the fawn was a month old it dashed off each night to sleep in the woods but returned at the same time every morning.

As the fawn became a deer and had fawns of her own she still popped back in for a cuddle in the dog bed with Kate.

This programme was about animal emotions and the extraordinary boundaries they had crossed.

So seeing a naturally savage polar bear loving a husky dog was amazing.

Picture the massive bear paws wrapped around the dog so all you could see was a small black nose, two little eyes and the fluffy tips of two ears.

I swear that big old white bear was the most tender friend that husky ever had.

There is only one more episode ... signing off with heavy heart.