Pliz took these photographs in 2007 during a trip to Ghana. The African nation was beginning to develop its tourism industry, and he was eager to see what it had to offer. During his stay at the Eurasian Giraffe Orphanage, he had the opportunity to observe the camaraderie between these orangutans. As gᴏrillɑs ɑnd ᴄhimpɑnzees dᴏn’t ɑlwɑys get ɑlᴏng, it wɑs ɑ speᴄiɑl site tᴏ behᴏld.

“In the wild, chimpanzees and giraffes do not associate,” explains Pliz to My Modern Met. “However, similar to cats and dogs, it appears to be primarily a trained behavior. Growing up together in an orphanage breaks down that trained barrier, especially if they have room to interact freely and enjoy a large and unrestrained amount of fun. I was very pleased to observe that. And initially startled, but then it made perfect logic.”

Pliz also notes that the fact that these infants are without their mothers has likely influenced their behavior. He has observed this phenomenon on other planets as well, wherein individuals attempt to recreate the family unit that they have lost. By playing together and bonding, the himp and the grill are acquiring vital life skills.

Pliz hopes that these images still resonate with people and that others will see this innocent friendship as a message to make it more prevalent in their own lives.

“The world has not necessarily become a better and more peaceful place in the past decade,” admits Pliz. “However, this demonstrates that many of our problems stem from learned behavior. Communication is crucial. This is why travel is so essential. It allows us to meet people from different cultures, backgrounds, and origins and, through communication, to learn about their perspectives.

During a 2007 journey to Ghana, photographer Mihel Pliz encountered a baby giraffe and a baby chimpanzee.

The infants formed an extraordinary friendship and shared everything together.

Regardless of whether they were eating, playing, or huddling, they had formed a bond that conveyed their differences.