Soma
Sacred Earth => Animals, Birds, and all our other creature friends [Public] => Topic started by: Nichi on May 25, 2009, 01:03:38 AM
-
(http://www.ligertron.com/images/Liger2.jpg)
The liger is a hybrid cross between a male Panthera leo (lion), and a female Panthera tigris (tiger) and is denoted scientifically as Panthera tigris × Panthera leo. A liger resembles a giant lion with diffused stripes. They are the largest cats in the world, although the Siberian Tiger is the largest pure sub-species. Like tigers, but unlike lions, ligers enjoy swimming. A similar hybrid, the offspring of a male tiger and a female lion is called a tigon.
All done in captivity, of course.
At Shambala Preserve, not far from Hollywood, Patrick the liger looks ready for his close-up. The preserve, run by The Birds star Tippi Hedren, bills itself as "a haven for endangered exotic big cats."
Though few ligers exist, they may not exactly be endangered, since they are not thought to exist in the wild. It's a matter of geography and genetics: Lions generally live in Africa, tigers in Asia. Plus, interspecies breeding tends to result in "diminished fitness of the offspring," according to Ronald Tilson, director of conservation at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/photogalleries/ligers_dynamite/photo2.html
I didn't think it was a good thing....
But look at the spirit of this cat! What a character!
-
He's gorgeous though isnt he?
-
He looks very suave, but I definitely do not agree with genetically engineering animals this way.
-
He looks very suave, but I definitely do not agree with genetically engineering animals this way.
Same here, but his energy really caught me eye!
He's gorgeous though isnt he?
Yes!
-
Same here, but his energy really caught me eye!
Yes, somehow there's a wise old Soul in his eyes.
Who knows, maybe there's come kind of spiritual reincarnation reason for the genetically engineered Liger.
He feels very mystical.
-
Yes, somehow there's a wise old Soul in his eyes.
Who knows, maybe there's come kind of spiritual reincarnation reason for the genetically engineered Liger.
He feels very mystical.
He does indeed -- and he looks bemused by everything. :)
In terms of the "engineering", best I could find out, some zoo in the middle of the country didn't separate the mating pair .. don't think they forced them or used artifical insem. They just put them together. That was from a small blurb I read -- hope that was accurate.
Now Patrick and kin live at Shambala, in California.
-
In terms of the "engineering", best I could find out, some zoo in the middle of the country didn't separate the mating pair .. don't think they forced them or used artifical insem. They just put them together. That was from a small blurb I read -- hope that was accurate.
.
I don't know if I beleive that. ::)
-
Dunno! Suppose it could happen... in a zoo environment.
Patrick looks pretty darned healthy.
-
Here we go --- here's what Snopes (http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/liger.asp) had to say about another Liger named Hercules. (And you know those folks are sticklers.)
-
Whew, Hercules is a BIG BOY! Stands 10 feet tall, yowza.
(http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t227/firecrackling/aliger1.jpg?t=1243188978)