With the existance of Tigons and Ligers (Crosses of Lions and Tigers) does this mean zoos are tampering with nature in a bad way? Do you feel that knowing this could happen that zoos should keep the breeds seperate to prevent it?
We cross dog breeds to get desirable mixes. Will zoos do it to create 'newsworthy' specimens in the zoo for people to come see?
2007-02-03 07:28:37 · 6 answers · asked by momwithabat 6 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
for Wildcatfan........
Check my profile blog. I put some photos of a Liger in for you. This cat weighs half a ton. If it looked more like a tiger then it would have been a Tigon.
2007-02-03 10:40:11 · update #1
As far as I know, zoos don't create such hybrids for "newsworthy" purposes. Such animals are the accidental results of having two compatible animals in the same exhibit. Some zoos have many different animals in the same exhibit, not to create a desired hybrid, but to make the exhibit more realistic and likable. However, sometimes two animals that are not the same species will mate and create the hybrids.
2007-02-03 07:51:44 · answer #1 · answered by Countess Amillia 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ligers and tigons are named for who the father was....male tiger with female lion= Tigon, male lion with female tiger= Liger. They are not named based on what characteristics they have. Zoos do not breed them on purpose. I know in the past, this happened in zoos exhibiting two different big cats together. I don't think any have been produced in zoos recently, as zoos separate different species of cats nowadays. And the offspring are sterile so they cannot reproduce further.
2007-02-03 13:25:38 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Liger easily. It is by far larger than a tigon. In fact the liger is the largest cat according to Guiness. A tigon is smaller than a Lion or a tiger.
2016-03-29 03:18:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Put the bat back in the closet, Mam. I think a newsworthy animal would be a DemRep but the zoos will never create one as the idea is too scary.
Happy belated Ground Hog Day.
2007-02-03 07:33:03 · answer #4 · answered by St N 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think crossing species is an incredibly bad idea unless it happens in nature - I really hate zoos For example what is a whaleshark doing in the Atlanta Aquarium - Money Money!
2007-02-03 09:56:18 · answer #5 · answered by hobo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it is possible to cross-breed lions and tigers. That would be like trying to cross-breed a chimpanzee with a gorilla. I don't think that it would work without fatal complications. However, if they did find some way to do that, it would definitely be something worth seeing.
2007-02-03 10:13:52 · answer #6 · answered by wildcatfan 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋