Hybrids of lions and tigers are called by the simple word "ligers". Currently, such cats are the largest in the world, as they easily reach a height of 3 meters. Outwardly, this animal looks like a giant lion with stripes blurred all over the body. Let's talk about ligers in more detail.
Creature of God
A liger is a hybrid of a lion and a tiger, eaten naturally or artificially. To be more precise, this is a cub of a male lion and a female tigress. From the point of view of zoology, the ancestors of this animal belong to the same biological genus (superfamily), but to different species.
It is worth noting that these "nuggets" do not appear in nature so often, because the habitats of tigers and lions vary significantly. The former prefer to trample the lands of India, and the latter prefer the lands of Africa. Therefore, most ligers are born in zoos where their parents are in close contact with each other.
Appearance
Outwardly, hybrids of lions and tigers are similar to the now extinct cave lions that live on Earth during the Pleistocene era. Butif you look at the liger more closely, you can see in it the features of an American lion. It is worth noting that the males of these hybrids almost always lack a mane. Unlike ordinary lions, ligers can and even love to swim.
These creatures take on the traits of both mother and father. For example, their backs and sides are densely covered with the legendary and characteristic tiger stripes. Some males become happy owners, if not a mane, then a small scruff. All this makes ligers truly unique and unusual animals!
Which is the largest liger in the world?
As mentioned above, ligers are the largest cats in the world. The largest hybrid of a lion and a tiger is Hercules! In its size, this giant is noticeably superior to all its relatives. In 2006, he even got into the Guinness Book of Records. Born in 2002 at the Institute for Endangered and Rare Animal Species, located in Miami (Florida, USA). Currently lives at Jungle Island Interactive Amusement Park.
Which liger was the very first in Russia?
The very first liger in our country, born in 2004, was a hybrid from Novosibirsk. This unusual cub was the result of mating between an African lion and a Bengal tigress. The story of their love is impossibly simple: the little male and female were placed in the same enclosure due to lack of space in the mobile branch of the Novosibirsk Zoo. The ligress was named Zita-Gita.
From the dotsociety's perspective…
Hybrids of lions and tigers cause an ambiguous and sometimes negative reaction from the modern public and animal advocates. According to scientists from the American company Animal Media, ligers are not full-fledged wild cats, but genetically crippled animals. Scientists claim that they are directly susceptible to certain cancers, as well as arthritis and neurological disorders.
Moreover, it is believed that without exception, all hybrids of lions and tigers are barren creatures. And if they do not give offspring, then what is the point of mocking mother nature? Just for experimentation? Animal advocates oppose such drastic interference with the natural forces of nature. However, sometimes female ligers give birth, but the life expectancy of their cubs is, of course, short.
