The Mighty Tigon

So what is a Tigon? Not to be confused with the Liger (discussed in earlier posts), the Tigon is a hybrid cross between, as you probably have guessed, a tiger and a lion. However, the sex of the parents from the two species is what makes a cub a Tigon or a Liger. The tigon is therefore, the result of only when a male tiger mates with a female lion.

This beautiful beast possesses genetic make up from both parents, making it's visible characteristics quite random. They may have spots from the  mother lion ("lions carry genes for spots-lion cubs are spotted and some adults retain faint markings) and stripes from the father. Male tigon may possess a mane but is quite shorter than a regular lion's. Although quite remarkable on it's own merit, they are not as popular as the other hybrid, the liger. This is due to the fact that the tigons do not grow to the majestic larger size as the ligers can.

A nice interesting fact about these tigons are that they can produce both lion and tiger sounds when they roar. A sad fact though is that their lifespan, as with most hybrid animals, are shorter than that of  a normal species. They tend to be prone to illnesses which can make life difficult for them.

One thing for sure though, I would love the chance to see one in person one day. Here is Maude, she is displayed in  The Manchester Museum  located in the United Kingdom. Beautiful isn't she.