A litigon (/ˌlaɪˈtaɪɡən/) is a rare, second-generation
hybrid from a female
tigon (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.
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 in
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , the official name until 2001) is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary business, comm ...
,
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 ...
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
References
Panthera hybrids
Second generation hybrids
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