Ligers: The Real Deal (A Cruelty Unveiled)

While there aren´t a great many zoos or roadside attractions that have ligers, they certainly do exist. A liger results from a breeding between a male lion and a female tiger.

One look at any of the popular liger pictures found all over the internet and you would think that these animals are strong, fit, and healthy. Sadly, though, this is simply not the case with a majority of these animals.

The first liger litter was born in 1824. They died within a year. The second round of ligers, born in 1825 only survived a short while as well. The third ever litter was born around 1826, and only survived a few months. This alone should have been a huge indication that something was wrong, and that these animals shouldn´t be created. But people are fascinated with strange or unusual things, so the practice has continued up until this very day.

There are also birthing problems. The abnormal size of a liger cub may cause a miscarriage. If the liger cub comes out alive, many have been recorded to last only a few days or weeks. Since the liger cub is born so much larger than a normal tiger cub, the mother often requires a C-Section. This can be fatal, and it is reckless and selfish to put a tigress through this just for a liger cub.

Ligers lack a growth-inhibiting gene and are prone to gigantism. This means they grow throughout a very large portion of their lives. Because of this, some ligers have actually been disposed of once they get to a size deemed to dangerous.

Tigons, animals that result from a breeding with a male tiger and female lion, share a similar story.

Tigons are often born prematurely. Unlike ligers, tigons typically are very small, and prone to dwarfism.

Ligers and tigons share a lot of problems as well. Both have health problems due to genetic abnormalities and neurological defects associated with hybridization. Being hybrids, they are not genetically strong, and typically live much shorter lives than either of their parents.

It is speculated that these hybrids have incomplete DNA, which could be another reason why they typically don´t live very long.

They are prone to cancers, disease, and arthritis, and are known to have unstable temperaments. Depression and confusion have been noted in ligers and tigons. This is due to conflicting behavioral instincts (for example, tigers are solitary, and lions are social).

Both animals have unique nutritional needs, which are rarely met.

Did you know that the AZA does not approve of breeding ligers and tigons? They don´t, because they feel it is unethical, and because it has always been standard procedure to not keep two separate species together. Whenever you go to a zoo with a liger, you are supporting an unaccredited zoo, which is rarely a good thing. Also, animal experts worldwide have stated themselves that this hybridizing is simply not okay.

These zoos typically have two responses when people ask why they have ligers:

1. Ligers were not something we planned on having or wanted, their births were accidental.
Why this answer doesn´t work: How can a hybrid be accidental? No good zoo would ever mix species in the same enclosure. If they really wanted to mix species in the same enclosure, they could have easily ensured no accidental births by having the animals fixed. This answer is just not justifiable.

2. We are breeding ligers to save them in the wild (conservational purposes)
Why this answer doesn´t work: Ligers have never existed in the wild. People have made claims, but none have ever been proven. The only area in the world where lions and tigers would meet is the Gir Forest. However, this area is actually terrible tiger terrain, and only really suited for lions. It is not likely these two animals would ever meet up, and normal behavior would keep them from mating with each other. Besides, the majority of these animals are sterile and they will never be considered a true species.

What this means is that by you supporting a facility that breeds these animals, you are supporting something that is exploiting their animals for money and completely disregarding the many health issues that ligers and tigons face. You are supporting a place that is willing to lie and deceive the public for their personal gain.

This is something we must stop soon. Please boycott places that continue to breed ligers and tigons, and spread the word as best as you can.

-AnimalMedia
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For more information, visit:
special thanks to Big Cat Rescue and Carole Baskin (their founder) for allowing us to use their images. It was a great help and we appreciate it immensely.

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Introduction music: Kevin MacLeod (Rocket)
Music: Kevin MacLeod (Sovereign Quarter)
All content in this video is used with complete permission.

1. By: AnimalMedia
2. Categories Pets & Animals
3. Views 2,079
4. Added :25-Jun-09
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