Tigers and lions, leaders among the largest felines, show notable differences in their social and reproductive habits.
However, although rare, hybrids resulting from their crossing, such as ligers and tigers, do exist. However, animal rights advocates question the relevance of these creations of nature.
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Hybridization between species in the same family is not unprecedented. The cross between a mare and a donkey, for example, generates donkeys and mules.
However, in nature, these combinations are uncommon, especially in the case of lions and tigers.
Lions are predominantly Africans, with a small population in India, while tigers inhabit northern Asia. Therefore, a natural encounter between these species in their habitats is highly unlikely.
However, human interventions made hybridization possible. Most existing hybrids were created by chance or to attract visitors and generate revenue in
zoos and animal conservation projects.Ligers result from the crossing of lions and tigresses, while tigers are born from the crossing of tigers and lionesses.
These hybrids display characteristics of both parents, with ligers often surpassing their parents in size due to the absence of growth-limiting genes.
(Image: reproduction/internet)
These genes are provided by males in tigers and females in lions. Although these animals are generally sterile, female ligers can generate other hybrids, such as liligers and tiligers, when crossed with lions and tigers.
Given this context, animal rights defenders argue that this practice of Hybridization is cruel and unethical as it results in genetic changes that cause problems of health.
Luke Dollar, director of the National Geographic Society's “Big Cats Initiative” program, highlights the absence of justification for the existence of ligers and tigers, since there is no biological or natural basis for such creations.
Furthermore, some groups argue that these hybrids occupy spaces in zoos and conservation sanctuaries that could be reserved for other species.
Therefore, it is clear that, according to experts, the spread of hybrids of lions and tigers must be prevented so that environmental problems are not established in the future.
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