Amazing Wild Animals: Liger

Ligers are a hybrid animal that is a cross between a male lion and a female tiger. Of you think this cat is mythical then think again. These amazing cats are gigantic, they can stand 12ft tall and weigh half a ton. They will become twice as big as tiger or a lion. Of the parents gender's were reversed, a male tiger and a female lion, it would result to be a small cat, only weighing less than 150 kg. These hybrids are known as tigons.

Look how huge a liger is compared to a human

Ligers also look like a cross between a tiger and a lion. They have faint stripes on a tan background that comes form the lion. Some ligers have been known to grow a mane. They have been known to live for 20 to 26 years, though being hybrids they could have premature deaths.

Tiger left and Lion right

Ligers will take on both characteristics of a tiger and a lion. They love to swim which is a tiger trait, they are very social like lions. Ligers are carnivores like their parents though since it does not live in the wild we do not know what it would naturally eat. Female ligers have had cubs with lions and tiger but male ligers are sterile.

The big cats are only breed in captivity because their parents don't live in the same territory in the wild. Zoos will breed ligers for their popularity. Though this has been considered inhumane treatment because since the ligers are can be so big they can not be delivered naturally so a C-section is requirede which can kill the mother tiger.