Facts About Hybrid Animals: The Tigon

Where Ligers actually do happen occasionally happen accidentally in nature, and sometimes even zoos, this is never the case for the Tigon. This hybrid only takes place by calculating hybridism. As a matter of fact, these tigons are so rare, I had a hard time finding out important information on this hybrid.

Facts About Hybrid Animals-Definition of a Tigon

The Tigon is born to a mother Lion and a father tiger. The complete opposite of the Liger. This is so rare, that lairweb asks anyone to report any to this email address. The male Tigons are always born infertile. The female Tigons, in rare cases have actually proved to be fertile. In one case, the female Tigon had mated again, and produced twins, both of which died of cancer.

Facts About Hybrid Animals-The Problems Faced by the Tigon

Because of the smaller size of the tigress as compared to the lion, most of this hybrid animal will result in stillborn births. The ones that do make it through birth are often premature and end up with numerous health issues. They typically do not survive very long. Just like the Ligers, the vocalization and confusing of other personality traits exist if they do indeed survive. Opposite of the Liger, the Tigon is prone to dwarfism. Other health issues are arthritis, neurological defects, cancer, immune deficiencies and emotional problems. Cancer seeming to be the biggest problem, most likely due to the opposing DNA.

Facts About Hybrid Animals-The Sad Beginning and Ending of the Tigons Life

As I stated above, opposite of the Liger, the Tigon never happens by "accident". This is due to the mating and size differences of the mother being of a smaller stature. This is forced, again like many Ligers by circuses and sideshows. Besides the fact they typically don't live past the beginning of their life, these sideshows cannot provide the special diet and care required for this hybrid animal. They just do not have the knowledge, or the care to. Because of this, even if they do survive birth, their life is typically an unhappy and very short one.

Hopefully because of this article and subsequent video, more people will become aware of this and put an end to it.

http://lion_roar.tripod.com/Liger_Tigon.html
http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/tigons2.html