In his five short weeks of life, Orbit hasn’t met many other owls.
So he isn’t at all worried that his new best friend doesn’t hoot back.
The orphaned chick is perfectly content in the company of the stuffed bird perched next to him and is never far from his side.
Orbit, a common barn owl, was given the toy by Lyndsey Wood, his carer at Folly Farm, near Narberth in West Wales.
She said: ‘A friend suggested that I find something like a toy owl to stop Orbit feeling lonely.
‘I thought he might try to eat it, but he just cuddles up to it and goes to sleep.’
This breaks my heart.