It's no secret that Dubai's crown prince is a big animal enthusiast.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed's Instagram is filled with photos of him befriending every kind of animal, from horses to lions, to elephants and giraffes.

But the animal loving royal appears to have made a new furry friend, posting images of the encounter to his Instagram story on Thursday.

Sheikh Hamdan captured a close-up photo of this furry squirrel

And a friendship quickly formed

Making for some perfect snaps

This video of the shy critter will melt your heart

Of course, this isn't the first time the prince has befriended animals

From horses to camels

Selfies with giraffes

And close encounters with elephants

Prince Hamdan is definitely an animal lover