THE LIGER
A liger is a hybrid big cat that results from the crossbreeding of a lion and a tiger. A liger has a male lion as its father and a tigress as its mother. Since lions and tigers are very closely related species, therefore; the crossbreeding in between these two animals to produce is liger is highly possible. It should be very important to note here that all the ligers are born in captivity and so far there has never been any evidence of a liger's birth in the wild.
A liger is an offspring of a male lion and a tigress. Ligers belong to the hybrid category of the big cats.
However; according to the experts this phenomena of crossbreeding of a lion and a tigress in the wild to produce a liger would have happened thousands of years ago, when there were hundreds of thousands of lions and tigers living at different overlapping territories on planet earth. Unfortunately; there is no common territory in the world right now where both lions and tigers co-habit.
Animal
Liger Father
LionMother
TigressBreeding
CrossbredGenre
HybridHabitat
CaptivityKey Feature
World's Biggest Cat
Even though the phenomenon of crossbreeding looks like a taboo subject but in reality it occurs naturally. According to the calculations of National Geographic; the process of crossbreeding does take place in the wild in both plants and animals with a percentages of 30% in plants and 10% in animals. This is the key reason that we often witness a lot of hybrid animals even in the wild as well. Prizzly bears and Coywolves are one of the common examples of the hybrid animals that naturally exist in the wild.
The crossbreeding of a lion and a tigress can only occur in the wild; if both big cats share a common territory.
A Coywolf is a hybrid of Coyote and a wolf while a Prizzly Bear is a hybrid of Polar Bear and a Grizzly Bear. Therefore; based upon these examples a liger's existence in the wild is just a matter of time when the territories of lions and tigers will overlap. Similarly; an ancient narrative about a huge big cat indicates a possible existence of liger in Singapore, where lions and tigers cohabited once.
Crossbreeding in Animals
10%
Crossbreeding in Plants
30%
Wild Hybrid Bear
Prizzly Bear
Wild Hybrid Wolf
Coywolf
Liger - Napoleon Dynamite
In 2004; the movie Napoleon Dynamite also had a script stating liger as a favorite animal of the leading role (Napoleon Dynamite himself) of the movie. The actor also believed that ligers are bred for their skills in charm and magic.
Liger - Guinness Book Records
In 2006’s Guinness Book of World Records; ligers were also declared as the biggest of all the big cats in the world. A liger named as Hercules also featured in 2014's Guiness Book of World Records as well.
Liger - National Geogrpahic
In pursuit of a Super Cat, National Geographic found liger as an Ultimate Cat with far more power and strength than any other big cat on planet earth. They even estimated the bite force of the liger to be twice more than the lions and tigers.
All the letters within the word “Liger” are partially derived from the words of “Lion” and “Tiger”. Letters “Li” are derived from “Lion” while “ger” are derived from the “Tiger”. Therefore; the word “Liger” itself is a hybrid for this magnificent hybrid animal. This also means that the English was the first language to give a specific name to a hybrid offspring of Lion and Tigress.
“The word “LIGER” also has hybrid alphabets, as it has “LI” letters of Lion, and “GER" letters of Tiger”
Over the years the word liger has been integrated within many other languages of the world and many languages such as Chinese, Russian, Swedish, Finish, French and Estonian etc. have also assigned dedicated words for the liger.
English
Liger
Chinese
狮虎
Russian
Лигер
French
Ligre
Finish
Liikeri
Estonian
Liiger
Where are all the ligers in the world? How many ligers are there in the world? Which countries have ligers and which country has the maximum numbers of ligers?
Population of Ligers
There are around one hundred (100) ligers in the world right now. As mentioned earlier, all of these ligers are living in captivity i.e., zoos, animal sanctuaries, private farms and menageries etc. Today; the biggest population of the liger lives in United States, where; there are more than 40 ligers.
“As of 2017; there are around 100 ligers in the world while majority of these ligers live in USA and China”
China is on the second spot, where there are almost 20 ligers. Other countries which have ligers include Russia, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Taiwan, Australia and Indonesia. In Taiwan it is illegal to breed liger. India does not have any ligers right now, but it is believed that history of the captive ligers started from India when three liger cubs were born during 1799, and were presented to the Queen of Britain.
Population of Ligers
Total Population
100
United States
40
China
20
Russia
10
Other Countries
30
How big is a liger? How much does it weigh? What is the height and the length of a liger? And what is the growth rate of the liger?
Ligers' Weight, Size and Appearance
Ligers usually weigh around 900 pounds. Lions on the hand weigh around 450 pounds while tigers weigh around 550 pounds. These statistics clearly indicate that ligers weigh twice more than lions or tigers. However; it is not the weight that makes a liger bigger than a lion or a tiger. Liger also has a huge body structure as well.
“A liger weighs around 800 to 900 pounds which means that they weigh almost twice more than lions or tigers”
For example a liger has a length of almost 11 feet long whereas; a lion or a tiger has a length of around 8 to 9 feet. This longer length allows a liger to gain more strength, bigger muscles and heavier weight. Similarly; standing on its four feet a liger can gain a height of almost 6 feet (Five and a half feet) while a lion or a tiger can only manage a height of around four and a half (4.5) feet. Therefore; a liger not only has a huge weight, but it also has a bigger body structure as compared to a lion or a tiger.
Size
2X Lion/Tiger
Weight
900 Pounds
Maximum Weight
921 Pounds
Body Length
11 to 12 Feet
Height
6 Feet
The overall visual appearance of a liger resembles that of a lion. For example a liger has a tawny skin which makes it closer in resemblance with a lion (A lion has a tawny brown skin), while a tiger has an orange skin.
“A liger has a skin color (tawny-brown) of a lion and stripes of the tiger”
However; the pattern of the stripes on the skin of the liger makes it resemble closer to the tiger. Ligers also have stripes but these stripes are not as much darker as that of a tiger. But some tigers such as Golden Tabby Tigers also have lighter stripes like a liger. Many people also confuse Golden Tabby Tigers with Ligers. Some ligers have a mane around their neck as well which again makes them closer in resemblance with a lion. On the other hand; the facial markings of the liger and the pattern of its tail resembles it closer to a tiger.
Color
Tawny Brown
Skin/Fur
Tiger's Stripes
Neck
Lion's Mane
Tail
Tiger's Tail
Facial Appearance
Tiger Markings
Why ligers are so big? What is the average growth rate of a liger? How much food a liger consumes in a single sitting
Ligers' Growth Rate & Food Consumption
What makes a liger so much bigger, as its parents both the lion and the tigress do not grow as much as 900 pounds. So why are ligers able to grow so much huge and a gigantic? Many researchers and big cat experts believe that ligers do not have growth inhibiting gene. This lack of growth inhibiting gene allows the liger to grow at a faster rate as compared to a lion or a tiger till the age of its maturity.
“Ligers continue to grow till the age of 4 years. Some liger experts believe that ligers grow all their lives which is not proven yet.”
Some people believe that ligers grow all their lives, because they do not have growth inhibiting gene. This is absolutely wrong! Ligers do lack growth inhibiting gene but they only grow till the age of maturity i.e., 4 years maximum like all other big cats, and after that their growth stops. However; it is still very early to say what makes ligers so huge, as more and more research needs to be carried out in this regard. Lacking of the growth inhibiting gene is the only possible explanation up till now.
Growth
Unusually Fast
Growth Period
4 Years
Growth Genes
Growth Inhibiting Genes
Grows All Life?
False
As mentioned earlier, a liger has a growth period of around 4 years. Ligers on average grow around 1 pound per day. However; a closer observation also reveals that in between second and third years of its life, a liger even grows at a rate of 2 pounds per day as well.
“A liger has a fastest growth rate among all the big cats. A liger continues to grow 1 pound per day on average during its growth years i.e., 1 to 4 years”
Lions and tigers are unable to match this much faster growth rate, as they only grow at around half a pound per day during their growth years. Moreover; a liger cub at the time of its birth is also equal to the lion and tiger cub. Therefore; the growth rate of the liger is faster than that of a lion or a tiger during its growth period days.
Growth Rate
Fastest
Average Growth
1 Pound/Day
Peak Growth Periods
2 Pounds/Day
Lion/Tiger Growth
1/2 Pound/Day
So how much a liger eats in a single sitting? According to Dr. Bhagavan Antle, who has more than 40 years of experience with ligers, a liger is capable of eating more than one hundred (100) pounds of meat in a single sitting. However; this will make him an obese big cat. Therefore; a liger is usually given a meat of around 30 pounds per week.
“A liger eats around 30 pounds of meat per week. It is fully capable of eating more than 100 pounds in a single sitting as well.”
And what kind of a food is given as a meal to a liger? Dr. Bhagavan Antle states that ligers are given as a meal known as a “King’s Diet”, which is a mixture of minced meat comprising of beef, mutton, deer, chicken and turkey. Lions and tigers on the hand eat about 12 to 15 pounds of meat per week.
Food
Meat (Carnivore)
Normal Meal
30 lbs/Day
Maximum Meal
100 lbs per Meal
Lion/Tiger Meal
10 lbs/Day
Ligers are big, huge and heavier but this does not a mean a liger will be a slow moving big cat. A liger is capable of running at around 50 to 60 miles per hour. Lions usually run at around 50 miles per hour while tigers run at around 60 miles per hour. The longer length and stronger muscles of a liger allows it to gain a speed of around 50 to 60 miles per hour.
“Ligers can sprint at around 50 to 60 miles per hour. A liger has bigger leap than that of a lion or a tiger”
Moreover; they also allow the liger to have bigger leaps while running as well. This speed of a liger is measured by Dr. Bhagavan Antle at its animal preservation station known as Myrtle Beach Safari, South Carolina, USA.
Speed Capability
Fast Short Bursts
Maximum Speed
50-60 Miles/Hour
Speed Location
Myrtle Beach Safari
Cheetah Speed
70 Miles/Hour
Lion Speed
50 Miles/Hour
Tiger Speed
55 Miles/Hour
How long does a liger live? What is the average age of a liger? Do the ligers life a short span of life?
Ligers' Age, Lifespan & Survival
A liger has an average lifespan of around 12 to 15 years. This lifespan of a liger is exactly same as that of a lion or a tiger. Both lions and tigers in captivity live for around 12 to 15 years. On the other; lions and tigers in the wild live for around 8 to 10 years.
“In captivity a liger lives around 12 to 15 years. Shasta the liger lived for 24 years in 1972”.
The longest living liger till know was a female liger named as Shasta the liger. Shasta the liger lived for 24 years. Upon her death, her body was preserved and she is honorably standing at Bean Museum in USA. Some critics believe that ligers have a small lifespan which is absolutely wrong because in majority of our studies and observations, ligers have a normal lifespan like that of the other big cats i.e., lion and tiger.
Short Life Span (Ligers)?
False
Normal Life Span
12-15 Years
Largest Recorded Age
24 Years
Nook the Liger
21 Years
Hobbs the Liger
15 Years
Shasta the Liger
24 Years
Critics also posit that ligers are prone to blindness, confused personality and kidney failures. They also state that they have a short body structure and because of that they fail to move normally like other big cats. However; the researchers who have bred ligers for years strongly negate such statements.
“Ligers do not have any genetic diseases and they live as normal as lions and tigers”
According to Dr. Bhagavan Antle ligers are physically and mentally as strong as lions and tigers. They live a normal life and they are not vulnerable to any kind of blindness, confused personality or kidney failures. Even National Geographic have shown skeletal parts of the ligers such as their paws, legs and skull which were clearly larger, longer and bigger than the other big cats. So critics have only fabricated negative myths about ligers while the liger experts have proved them wrong.
Liger & Blindness
Myth
Ligers & Genetic Defects
Myth
Ligers & Kidney Failures
Myth
Ligers & Sterility
Myth
Ligers Live Normally?
Truth
How does a liger behaves like? Does it behave like a tiger? Or does it behave like a lion? Or does it has a merged behavior of both lions and tigers?
Ligers' Behavior
Behaviorally; ligers possess behavioral characteristics of a lion as well as a tiger. Ligers love to roar like lions. However; they are not as aggressive as male lions but rather they have a very mild personality. Ligers inherit this mild personality from their mother i.e., tigress. Similarly; ligers love to swim and play in water which makes them behaviorally closer to tigers.
“A liger roars like a lion and chuffs like a tiger. Ligers are social and they are less aggressive as compared to lions”
Lions do not like water and they only swim in extreme and rare situations. Ligers are highly social which again makes them behaviorally closer to lions as they are the only big cat species which live in groups. So behaviorally a liger possesses blend of behavioral traits of lions and tigers.
Liger Behavior
Lion/Tiger Mixed
Liger Roars
Like a Lion
Liger Chuffs
Like a Tiger
Liger Socializes
Like a Lion
Liger swims
Like a Tiger
What's the biggest cat on planet earth? Which liger weighs the maximum? Which is the biggest liger in the world?
Hercules the Liger
Among all the ligers the most famous liger is Hercules the liger. Hercules is a male liger who weighs about 921 pounds. Hercules the liger has 4 brothers. 3 of these brothers are of same age as that of Hercules i.e., Zeus the liger, Vulcan the liger and Sinbad the liger while Aries the liger is a younger sibling of Hercules the liger.
Hercules the liger is the world's biggest liger. It weighs more than 900 pounds and it lives at Myrtle Beach Safari, South Carolina in USA!
Hercules the liger was born during the year 2004. Hercules the liger has twice appeared within Guinness Book of World Records, where he has been declared as the biggest cat living on planet earth. Hercules the liger lives at Myrtle Beach Safari, in South Carolina, USA. Dr. Bhagavan Antle, Moksha Bybee, Rajani Ferrante and China York are the key caretakers of Hercules the liger.
Biggest Liger
Hercules the Liger
Weight
921 Pounds
Length
12 Feet
Height
6 Feet
Appearance
Guinness Book of World Records
News & Media coverage
National Geographic, Discovery and CNN etc.
Author: Usman Masood
Published Date: May 19, 2018
Last Modified: May 19, 2018
Publisher: LIGERWORLD
Genre: Liger, Lion, Tiger, Cross Breeding, Hybrid, Panthera
Copyright Holder: © Ligerworld - All Rights Reserved
Copyright Year: 2018
Liger Sources & References
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All of these sources and references are extracted from reliable liger sources. If you have any queries regarding ligers just feel free to contact us at sunnyitec@gmail.com.
