The Liger Can Be Traced Back To The Late 18th Century, And It’s A Cross Between A Male Lion And A Female Tiger
Hybrid animals do not just exist in mythology. They are alive and well, walking the earth as we speak. But most hybrids don’t occur naturally and are a result of human intervention.
If you’re a fan of big cats, you will probably be fascinated by the liger, which is a cross between a male lion and a female tiger.
Ligers have faint tiger stripes from their mothers, and males usually inherit manes from their dads, although the hair isn’t as long and thick.
They also like to swim, like tigers, and are sociable creatures, like lions. Ligers tend to grow bigger than either of their parents, arguably making them the largest known cats in the world. Male ligers can reach lengths of 10 to 12 feet.
Additionally, they weigh significantly more than any lion or tiger. In 2013, Guinness World Records deemed a male liger named Hercules as the world’s largest cat.
Hercules’ home was at the Myrtle Beach Safari Wildlife Reserve in South Carolina. He weighed 922 pounds, measured 131 inches, and stood at 49 inches.
What’s more, ligers are incredibly fast, running speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, and they live relatively long lives.
For instance, a female liger named Shasta lived until she was 24. She was born in 1948 at the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah, and was the first American liger.
So, when did lion and tiger hybrids first come to be? The liger can be traced back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries in India.
Iosif Yurlov – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
At the time, they were depicted in several pieces of artwork. In 1837, two liger cubs were presented to King William IV and Queen Victoria.
And in 1897, Carl Hagenbeck, a German circus owner and wild-animal trader, had a couple of ligers born in his zoo. Then, in 1935, four liger cubs from two different litters were raised in the Zoological Gardens of Bloemfontein, South Africa.
It is believed that there are less than 100 existing ligers, although the exact number is unknown. You won’t find ligers in the wild—lions are usually found in Africa, while tigers are from Asia. The one place where wild lions and tigers exist in the same area is in India’s Gir National Forest. So, the only opportunity they really have to mate is when they’re in captivity.
Many wildlife conservationists see the breeding of ligers as cruel and inhumane. The cats can suffer from birth defects and often die young. And since ligers are bigger in size than their parents, the mother is subjected to great risk when carrying and delivering her offspring. However, some argue that when cross-bred by professionals, ligers can be wonderful, healthy animals that are full of energy.
The majority of hybrid species are sterile, but the liger can actually reproduce with both lions and tigers. Female ligers have more success with reproducing than males.
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