My best friend, the tiger

Mulan Jamilah, a 6-year-old Bengal tiger, kisses caretaker Abdullah Sholeh, 33, in the garden beside their home in Malang, Indonesia, Jan. 20, 2014.

Sholeh is an Islamic student who has become best friends with, and a full-time nanny to, a Bengal tiger. Mulan's owner, Noer Muhammad Sholeh, 51, asked Abdullah to take care of the tiger when it was a 3-month-old cub.

Sholeh regularly sleeps, plays and fights with the huge tiger. The pair are so inseparable, he often shuns his own bed to sleep alongside the big cat in her enclosure.

Malang, Indonesia

Mulan Jamilah and Abdullah Sholeh, 33, play in the garden beside their home, Jan. 20, 2014.

Mulan now weighs 392 lbs and is nearly 10 feet long. For security reasons, they have had to install metal bars to separate them when they are together in the enclosure.

Mulan is fed nearly 30 pounds of chicken or goat meat twice a day.

Malang, Indonesia

Abdullah Sholeh smokes a cigarette, Jan. 20, 2014.

Malang, Indonesia

Mulan Jamilah and Abdullah Sholeh, play in the garden beside their home, Jan. 20, 2014.

Malang, Indonesia

Mulan Jamilah and Abdullah Sholeh, play in the garden beside their home, Jan. 20, 2014.

Malang, Indonesia

Mulan Jamilah, a 6-year-old Bengal tiger, kisses caretaker Abdullah Sholeh, 33, in the garden beside their home.

Malang, Indonesia

Abdullah Sholeh, 33, sits on the floor next to 6-year-old Bengal tiger Mulan Jamilah's enclosure, Jan. 20, 2014.

Malang, Indonesia

Mulan Jamilah, a 6-year-old Bengal tiger, kisses caretaker Abdullah Sholeh, 33, in the garden beside their home.

Malang, Indonesia

Abdullah Sholeh, 33, sits on the floor next to 6-year-old Bengal tiger Mulan Jamilah's enclosure, Jan. 20, 2014.

Malang, Indonesia

Abdullah Sholeh, 33, sits on the floor next to 6-year-old Bengal tiger Mulan Jamilah's enclosure, Jan. 20, 2014.

Malang, Indonesia

Abdullah Sholeh, 33, sits on the floor next to 6-year-old Bengal tiger Mulan Jamilah's enclosure, Jan. 20, 2014.

Malang, Indonesia

Mulan Jamilah, a 6-year-old Bengal tiger and Abdullah Sholeh, 33, play in the garden beside their home, Jan. 20, 2014.