Ligers, Zonkeys and other hybrids

Although hybrids do squander zoos' resources, something like a liger would attract visitors to the zoo. This revenue could then be used to support conservation projects.

Personally i am against the purposeful breeding of hybrids, just as i am against white tigers as they give out a really bad conservational and educational message but you can understand the zoo directors thinking.
 
MexPirate said:
I was pretty suprised to see that Colchester Zoo had a zonkey at one point that was kept on display at some point not too long ago.
Click to expand...

just to give you some background- Colchester called her a 'Zeedonk' and she may still be alive in the Africa area - I'm not sure.

She is one of three 'Zeedonks'(all females) produced from a donkey mother and a Grevy zebra father. The three hybrid sisters used to all be on exhibit together in a little paddock at the back of the zoo, but two of them died some years back.

Chester also had a couple of Grevy Zebra/ Horse hybrids many years ago- deposited there by a travelling circus.

Anyone know if the last Colchester 'Zeedonk' is still alive?
 
On the recent 'Zoo Days ' series from Colchester Zoo the zeedonk could be seen in the large mixed African paddock - the 'official title' of which I cannot rememeber .

I do remember the Zebra/Horse hybrids at Chester , they lived in the house where the Congo buffalo and warty pigs now live . I also think that Chester produced sub-specific hybrids in the same house , from an onager - kulan pairing .
 
Bele said:
I do remember the Zebra/Horse hybrids at Chester , they lived in the house where the Congo buffalo and warty pigs now live
Click to expand...

That's right. There were a number of Grevy Zebras in that house too. I think the two hybrids were both males. They had a brown background and fainter Grevy markings.

Paignton Zoo also had an 'equine hybrid' around that time- I think again it was Grevy Zebra x Horse(or Donkey). Most zebra hyrids seem to involve Grevy's which appears to cross more readily than the others.
 
Hix said:
As for things like white lions, white tigers, King Cheetahs etc., the genes for these animals exist in wild populations, so these animals should not necessarily be treated in the same way as hybrids.
Click to expand...

White tigers are all hybrids. They have genes from more than one tiger subspecies.

I think we should distinguish hybrids among species and among subspecies - the latter ones are more justifiable espeacially in cases of recently discovered subspecies. Sometimes there is not a population big enough that hybrids can be valueable in case that total extinction is a threat. Of course pure bred specimen should be at first place.
 
I visited the National Zoo in Canberra, Australia last year and they had ligers on display. They had signage indicating that the animals had come from a circus and were basically in retirement at the zoo. I thought their display was quite well done, with the ligers between the tiger and lion exhibits.
 
Have taken in several raptor hybrids, now these are purposly bred, many 'man made'. Not something I am keen on with any species, but the idea is to get good bits out of 2 species,speed/ temprement/size etc rather than trying to make some kind of 'freak' animal just to look at.It's not something I agree with but would not expect the resulting offspring to be put down. Have to be honest, would love to see a Liger, just purly for curosity.
 
In regards to the ligers currently in zoos...how many would you say are "purposefully" bred? Or is it more an issue of space and housing (ex., not enough room to house the species separately- but the breeding wasn't intentional?)- just curious :)
 
current Ligers and Tigons being exhibited?

Anyone know which Zoos still have Ligers(or Tigon) nowadays? I believe the Canberra ones have died. There are none in UK Zoos. I don't know of any in Europe. That leaves the USA and rest of the World where there are probably a few, particularly in the US.
 
I think a zoo in Germany has two ligers.
 
Groemitz Zoo? The last liger there was euthanized this February. There is a female liger in the zoo of Novosibirsk, and there might be some in European circuses and Asian zoos.
 
Last edited:
I only know of two facilites in the US with Ligers:

(Parrot) Jungle Island, Miami, Florida
Wild Animal Safari, Pine Mountain, Georgia

I do know that Ligers are purposely bred at the Pine Mountain Wildlife Park...they have had several litters.

I've seen the liger at Jungle Island...and while many of you disagree with the breeding of hybrids (me included) I bet you would all take the chance to go see one for yourself, I know that I did...and it is certainly an impressive cat. The paws on the animal where HUGE!
 
A couple of months ago a 2 year old neutered male liger was advertised for sale on the TSKA website - mentioned on a previous posting . He was located in South West England and cost £2250 .

The other species of mammals available from the UK and Europe was mind-boggling - ratel , grison , paca , springhare , prehensile-tailed porcupine , tamandua etc.
 
Bele said:
A couple of months ago a 2 year old neutered male liger was advertised for sale on the TSKA website - mentioned on a previous posting . He was located in South West England and cost £2250 .
Click to expand...

I don't want to buy him but I wonder where he is located?

I've only ever seen a Liger once,it was in the Paris Zoo(Vincennes?) many years ago. The last one I knew of in the UK was 'Maud' who lived at Belle Vue Zoo circa 1950's. I didn't see her but believe she was born in Paris so maybe related to the one I did see.
 
Some more information concerning US ligers:

Massive liger (cross between lion & tiger) kills U.S. man after he breaks rules, enters cage
This liger killed a man in an Oklahoma animal facility.



And this information found on Wikipedia claims that Jungle Island's liger is recognized by Guiness as the largest cat on Earth...

Jungle Island in Miami is home to a liger named Hercules, the largest non-obese liger, who is recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records as the largest cat on Earth, weighing in at 900 lbs.[5] Hercules was also featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, Anderson Cooper 360, Inside Edition and in a Maxim magazine article in 2005, when he was only 3 years old and already weighed 408.25 kg (900 lb) at the time.[citation needed] Hercules seems completely healthy and is expected to live a long life. The cat's breeding is said to have been a complete accident. Sinbad, another Liger, was shown on the National Geographic Channel. Sinbad was reported to have the exact weight of Hercules.
Click to expand...
 
docend24 said:
White tigers are all hybrids. They have genes from more than one tiger subspecies.

I think we should distinguish hybrids among species and among subspecies - the latter ones are more justifiable espeacially in cases of recently discovered subspecies. Sometimes there is not a population big enough that hybrids can be valueable in case that total extinction is a threat. Of course pure bred specimen should be at first place.
Click to expand...

The original white tigers were purebred Bengals, but I can certainly understand how all the current Whites would be intergrades.

:)

Hix
 
Hix said:
The original white tigers were purebred Bengals, but I can certainly understand how all the current Whites would be intergrades.

:)

Hix
Click to expand...

Somewhere down the line, they were breed with Amur tigers to produce a bigger cat. Which to most is more impressive than a small white tiger. :rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top