A CAGED tiger was given two live mice for a snack to cheer him up — only for the three animals to end up becoming friends, the Daily Mail reported.

    Sandokan the tiger became depressed after his life partner of 13 years died at their zoo in the city of Galati in eastern Romania, the report said.

    Zoo keepers brought Samira, a younger female tiger, to the cage, but the male tiger ignored her, according to the report.

    After racking their brains to come up with another solution, zoo staff decided the best thing would be to find him some alternative amusement.

    They released two mice into his cage — but rather than eating the tiny animals, he lets them wander around his cage and even play in his fur.

    Zoo spokesman Madalin Serban said: “After his partner died last year we became very worried about Sandokan because he stopped eating and began gnawing at his own tail.

    “It was very clear that he was mourning the loss. Other zoos tend to use medical treatments to cure animals of this sort of thing but that would have meant administering the drugs with a tranquilizer gun.”

    (SD-Agencies)