A liger is a crossbreed between a male lion and a tigress (female tiger). In
order to have a liger, a male lion and a tigress must be locked in the same cage at
a zoo, where they are forced to breed. Ligers only live in captivity because tigers
and lions don’t live in the same countries.
Here is the scientific classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera
Species: Panthera Leo X Panthera Tigris
Physical and Character Traits
Ligers love to swim, which is a characteristic of their mom, a tiger. They
are also very sociable, which is a character trait they get from their dad, a lion.
Some female ligers look almost the same as a lioness. However, the lioness
has a very dark nose and the liger has a light brown nose. The liger also has spots
on its face, and the lioness does not. Some male ligers have a mane just like a lion, but not as bushy. Some male lions don’t have a mane at all. The liger’s stripes are very visible as a cub, but as the ligers grow older,
they start to fade. This is the case for both male and female ligers. All ligers
have 30 teeth, just like their mom and dad. Tigers have black stripes and ligers
have brown stripes. This is a unique feature to the liger because they don’t inherit
that from any of their parents. Some ligers have the tail of a lion, where the tip is
fluffy, and some ligers have the tail of a tiger, which is stripy.
Size
Ligers are the largest known cat in the world! From the tip of the tail to
the tip of the nose, the average liger is 3.6 – 4.2 meters (12 – 14 feet) long! They
can easily weigh more than 454 kg (1000 lbs)! Standing on four paws, from the top
of their back to their paws, the average liger is as tall as 1.4 meters (4.5 feet) tall!
The parents of a liger (lion father, tigress mother) are less than half the size of a
liger.
Food
Ligers are carnivores and are capable of eating about 455.4 kg (100 lbs) of
meat in one sitting! A more balanced diet is about 6.8 - 9.1 kg (15-20 lbs) per
sitting. Since ligers only exist in captivity, the ligers only eat what the zookeepers
feed them, raw meat.
Mating and Reproducing
The liger’s parents are a lion and a tigress. In order for a liger to be born, a
male lion and a tigress have to be in a cage together at a young age. They will grow
up together and eventually be forced to mate. An adult liger can’t mate with
another liger; it must mate with a lion or a tiger. Liger cubs weigh about the same weight as lion and tiger cubs, approximately 0.8 – 0.9 kg (1.8 - 2 lbs). It is a myth that liger cubs are bigger than other cubs.
There is also a rumor that a C-section has to be done in order for a liger to be
born which is not true.
Population
No one knows the exact population of the ligers. According to Nation
Geographic, in 2009, there were approximately 30 ligers in the world!
Lifespan
There is no average lifespan for a liger. However, they are expected to live
at least 10 – 14 years old. Some ligers live into their 20’s.
Adaptations
Ligers don’t have to adapt to their surroundings because they live in
captivity. They also don’t really need to adapt to their prey because they eat the
raw meat that the zookeepers feed them. Ligers have sharp claws to grip on to
the meat and 30 strong teeth to bite it.
Habitat
Ligers only live in captivity because lions and tigers don’t even live in the
same country. These two animals don’t usually breed together unless they are put
in a cage together. They live in some zoos because in 2009, there were only about
30 ligers in the world. Many zoos do not have ligers.
Although ligers don’t live in the wild, studies show that ligers could survive
in the wild on their own. Here are some facts about the liger that support this
statement: Ligers can run as fast as 80.5-96.6 km/h (50-60 mph)! That’s even faster
than lions! They are 100% stronger than their dad and their mom! Because the
liger is stronger than its parents, it could easily take down a buffalo.
Predators and Prey
Ligers don’t have any prey because they live in captivity. They eat whatever
the owners/zookeepers feed them. The liger doesn't have any natural predators
because it lives in captivity. However, people are the only danger to ligers. They
are sometimes treated very cruel and abandoned because the owner doesn't want
them anymore.
Liger Cruelty and Extinction
Ligers are treated cruelly all over the world. Their owners/zookeepers don’t treat them properly and sometimes people abandon them because they are too difficult to care for and require too many things to live. Most zoos only breed ligers to catch attention and bring in money for the zoos. In the U.S.A., there was a huge protest so that they could have wild animals as their pets. Some people bought the ligers as babies and took great care of them. When the liger got older, most people would abandon them because they had
no space to put in and no food to feed it. Ligers are also often traded as if they are just an object and don’t have any meaning.There have been many stories of ligers being rescued off the street with horrible conditions. One liger was brought to the rescue center and her teeth had decayed from starvation.
Some people smuggle ligers into different countries which is very cruel to the ligers. It is hard for the liger on the trip to other countries. Some people even remove the ligers teeth and take out all of their claws. This leaves the liger unable to eat properly, and unable to defend itself. With all the mean people being cruel to the ligers, their population is decreasing. In 2009, there were only 30 ligers in the whole world. The numbers could have gone down since then.
order to have a liger, a male lion and a tigress must be locked in the same cage at
a zoo, where they are forced to breed. Ligers only live in captivity because tigers
and lions don’t live in the same countries.
Here is the scientific classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Felidae
Genus: Panthera
Species: Panthera Leo X Panthera Tigris
Physical and Character Traits
Ligers love to swim, which is a characteristic of their mom, a tiger. They
are also very sociable, which is a character trait they get from their dad, a lion.
Some female ligers look almost the same as a lioness. However, the lioness
has a very dark nose and the liger has a light brown nose. The liger also has spots
on its face, and the lioness does not. Some male ligers have a mane just like a lion, but not as bushy. Some male lions don’t have a mane at all. The liger’s stripes are very visible as a cub, but as the ligers grow older,
they start to fade. This is the case for both male and female ligers. All ligers
have 30 teeth, just like their mom and dad. Tigers have black stripes and ligers
have brown stripes. This is a unique feature to the liger because they don’t inherit
that from any of their parents. Some ligers have the tail of a lion, where the tip is
fluffy, and some ligers have the tail of a tiger, which is stripy.
Size
Ligers are the largest known cat in the world! From the tip of the tail to
the tip of the nose, the average liger is 3.6 – 4.2 meters (12 – 14 feet) long! They
can easily weigh more than 454 kg (1000 lbs)! Standing on four paws, from the top
of their back to their paws, the average liger is as tall as 1.4 meters (4.5 feet) tall!
The parents of a liger (lion father, tigress mother) are less than half the size of a
liger.
Food
Ligers are carnivores and are capable of eating about 455.4 kg (100 lbs) of
meat in one sitting! A more balanced diet is about 6.8 - 9.1 kg (15-20 lbs) per
sitting. Since ligers only exist in captivity, the ligers only eat what the zookeepers
feed them, raw meat.
Mating and Reproducing
The liger’s parents are a lion and a tigress. In order for a liger to be born, a
male lion and a tigress have to be in a cage together at a young age. They will grow
up together and eventually be forced to mate. An adult liger can’t mate with
another liger; it must mate with a lion or a tiger. Liger cubs weigh about the same weight as lion and tiger cubs, approximately 0.8 – 0.9 kg (1.8 - 2 lbs). It is a myth that liger cubs are bigger than other cubs.
There is also a rumor that a C-section has to be done in order for a liger to be
born which is not true.
Population
No one knows the exact population of the ligers. According to Nation
Geographic, in 2009, there were approximately 30 ligers in the world!
Lifespan
There is no average lifespan for a liger. However, they are expected to live
at least 10 – 14 years old. Some ligers live into their 20’s.
Adaptations
Ligers don’t have to adapt to their surroundings because they live in
captivity. They also don’t really need to adapt to their prey because they eat the
raw meat that the zookeepers feed them. Ligers have sharp claws to grip on to
the meat and 30 strong teeth to bite it.
Habitat
Ligers only live in captivity because lions and tigers don’t even live in the
same country. These two animals don’t usually breed together unless they are put
in a cage together. They live in some zoos because in 2009, there were only about
30 ligers in the world. Many zoos do not have ligers.
Although ligers don’t live in the wild, studies show that ligers could survive
in the wild on their own. Here are some facts about the liger that support this
statement: Ligers can run as fast as 80.5-96.6 km/h (50-60 mph)! That’s even faster
than lions! They are 100% stronger than their dad and their mom! Because the
liger is stronger than its parents, it could easily take down a buffalo.
Predators and Prey
Ligers don’t have any prey because they live in captivity. They eat whatever
the owners/zookeepers feed them. The liger doesn't have any natural predators
because it lives in captivity. However, people are the only danger to ligers. They
are sometimes treated very cruel and abandoned because the owner doesn't want
them anymore.
Liger Cruelty and Extinction
Ligers are treated cruelly all over the world. Their owners/zookeepers don’t treat them properly and sometimes people abandon them because they are too difficult to care for and require too many things to live. Most zoos only breed ligers to catch attention and bring in money for the zoos. In the U.S.A., there was a huge protest so that they could have wild animals as their pets. Some people bought the ligers as babies and took great care of them. When the liger got older, most people would abandon them because they had
no space to put in and no food to feed it. Ligers are also often traded as if they are just an object and don’t have any meaning.There have been many stories of ligers being rescued off the street with horrible conditions. One liger was brought to the rescue center and her teeth had decayed from starvation.
Some people smuggle ligers into different countries which is very cruel to the ligers. It is hard for the liger on the trip to other countries. Some people even remove the ligers teeth and take out all of their claws. This leaves the liger unable to eat properly, and unable to defend itself. With all the mean people being cruel to the ligers, their population is decreasing. In 2009, there were only 30 ligers in the whole world. The numbers could have gone down since then.
Photo used under Creative Commons from aliwest44