A litigon (/ˌlaɪˈtaɪɡən/) is a rare, second-generation
hybrid
Hybrid may refer to:
Science
* Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding
** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species
** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two dif ...
from a female
tigon
A tigon (), tiglon () (portmanteau of ''tiger'' and ''lion''), or tion () is the hybrid offspring of a male tiger (''Panthera tigris'') and a female lion (''Panthera leo''). (a hybrid between a male tiger and a female lion) and a male
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
, specifically an
Asiatic lion
The Asiatic lion is a population of ''Panthera leo leo'' that today survives in the wild only in India. Since the turn of the 20th century, its range has been restricted to Gir National Park and the surrounding areas in the Indian state of Gujarat ...
.
Description
Litigons inherit and share characteristics with lions, the males sport manes and can also have rosettes.
History
The first attempt at breeding a litigon was successful; a female cub was born at the
Alipore Zoo
The Zoological Garden, Alipore (also informally called the Alipore Zoo or Kolkata Zoo) is India's oldest formally stated zoological park (as opposed to royal and British menageries) and a big tourist attraction in Kolkata, West Bengal. It has b ...
in
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
in 1971 to a female tigon named Rudrani and an Asiatic lion named Debabrata. Rudhrani went on to produce seven litigons, some of which reached impressive sizes: a litigon named Cubanacan (died 1991) was estimated to weigh least , stood at the shoulder, and was in total length.
See also
*
Liliger
The liliger is the hybrid offspring of a male lion (''Panthera leo'') and a female liger (''Panthera leo''♂ × ''Panthera tigris''♀). In accordance with Haldane's rule, male tigons and ligers are sterile, but female ligers and tigons can p ...
References
Panthera hybrids
Second generation hybrids
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