What Is A Mix Between A Lion And A Tiger Called?

Did you know that some of the world's biggest cats don't actually exist in the wild? These incredible animals are known as hybrids. A hybrid is born when two different species mate and create unique offspring. While this rarely happens in the wild due to different habitats, it sometimes occurs in captivity when animals live in close quarters. We see hybrids in the animal kingdom all the time. The most famous example is the mule, which is a mix between a horse and a donkey. There are also "Zebroids" (zebra and horse) and even "Beefalo" (bison and cow). But what happens when you cross the King of the Jungle with the largest striped cat in the world? This specific hybrid is famous for its enormous size and faint spots. It looks like a golden lion but often has subtle fading stripes in its fur. So, do you know what the mix between a lion and a tiger is called? In this article, we will look at the history, size, and surprising facts behind this giant cat.

What Is A Mix Between A Lion And A Tiger Called?

The mix between a male lion and a female tiger is called a Liger. This hybrid is the largest known cat in the world, often growing much bigger than both its parent species, a phenomenon linked to the absence of growth-inhibiting genes from the lioness. Ligers are not found in the wild because lions (mostly in Africa) and tigers (in Asia) are geographically separated. The earliest recorded liger births were in late 18th-century India, and virtually all ligers exist today in captivity, primarily in zoos and private ownership. 

10+ Lesser-known Facts About Ligers

• Ligers are the largest living felines due to growth dysplasia, caused by the lack of certain growth-limiting genes typically inherited from a lioness.
• In accordance with Haldane's Rule for hybrids, all male ligers are sterile (cannot reproduce), though female ligers are often fertile.
• Female ligers can be bred with a male lion to produce a Li-Liger or with a male tiger to produce a Ti-Liger.
• Ligers can roar like a lion but also make a friendly, chuffing sound like a tiger.
• They enjoy swimming, a trait inherited from the tiger mother, as lions are generally not keen on water.
• Ligers are often more social than tigers, a characteristic inherited from the pride-dwelling lion father.
• They have the tawny/sandy coat of a lion but often display faint, subtle stripes from the tiger and can also inherit rosettes (spots) from the lion parent (which are present on lion cubs).

• The largest non-obese liger, named Hercules, holds the Guinness World Record for the largest living cat.
• They exhibit a dramatic growth spurt early in life, reaching full adult size by around six years of age.
• Although they are different species, the lion (Panthera leo) and tiger (Panthera tigris) are both in the same genus, Panthera, which makes hybridisation possible.
• The history of lion-tiger hybrids dates back to at least a 1798 colour plate by French naturalist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire.

What Is The Mix Of A Lion And A Tiger?

A mix between a lion and a tiger is a hybrid feline. Because both parents belong to the Panthera genus, they can crossbreed in captivity. The resulting offspring's name and physical traits depend entirely on which species is the father and which is the mother, as they inherit different growth genes from each parent.

What Is A Lion-Tiger Called?

A lion-tiger mix is commonly known as a 'liger'. This unique name is used when the father is a male lion and the mother is a female tiger. Ligers are renowned as the largest cats on earth, often weighing much more than Siberian tigers due to their unique genetics.

What Is A Half-Tiger, Half-Lion Called?

If the father is a male tiger and the mother is a female lion, the offspring is called a Tigon. Unlike the massive Liger, Tigons are usually around the same size as their parents or even slightly smaller. They are much rarer than Ligers because mating rituals between these two species are less common.

Does A Tigon Exist?

Yes, Tigons definitely exist, though they are less common than Ligers. They exhibit "growth-inhibitory" genes from the lioness mother, which keep them from growing to the giant size of a Liger. You can find them in specialised zoos or sanctuaries, though they do not occur naturally in the wild.