You might have probably heard about the most common animal hybrid between a female horse and a male donkey, called a mule, but did you know there are more of these mixed animals? Though this kind of species and breeds crossing does not usually appear in nature, with the intervention of humans, we now have zonkeys, ligers, and Savannah cats. These animals are typically infertile, with some exceptions, such as the coywolf (not to be confused with a coy wolf), a mix of a coyote and a wolf, and can further reproduce.
Though the internet is full of photoshopped images of strange creatures, this list is full of absolutely real and amazing animals. What does the future hold, with advances in genetic engineering and cloning? Only time will tell! Keep reading to find out more about these weird animals.
(h/t: ohmyimaginaryfriend)
Liger ( Male Lion + Female Tiger)
(Image credits: ohmyimaginaryfriend)
Although there are rumors of wild Ligers, as far as we know, they exist only in captivity where they are deliberately bred. They grow to be very large very quickly, and are the biggest cats in the world. Hercules, the largest non-obese liger, is the largest living cat on Earth, weighing over 410 kg (904 lb). (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Liger)
Tigon (Male Tiger + Female Lion)
(Image credits: ohmyimaginaryfriend)
How far can you go? Did you know that Ligers and Tigons also reproduce? We’ll leave it up to you to figure out what their offspring are called! (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Tigon)
Zonkey (Zebra + Donkey)
(Image credits: firenze.repubblica.it)
A variation of the aforementioned zebroid. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebroid)
Jaglion (Male Jaguar + Female Lion)
(Image credits: bearcreeksanctuary.com)
A rare combination. These photos are of Jahzara and Tsunami, born at Ontario, Canada’s, Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Panthera_hybrid)
Geep (Goat + Sheep)
(Image credits: My Petting Zoo)
Another rare animal, as the offspring of goat and sheep pairings are usually stillborn. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Geep)
Grolar Bear (Polar Bear + Brown Bear)
(Image credits: dpa)
Also called “pizzly bears,” most grolar bears live in zoos, although there have been a few confirmed sightings in the wild. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Grizzly polar_bear_hybrid)
Coywolf (Coyote +Wolf)
(Image credits: Anne Marie Fraser)
Coyotes and eastern wolves only diverged some 150-300,000 years ago, and the two are able to produce offspring. The resulting Coywolves share many behavioral characteristics, and are between the coyote and wolf in size. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Coywolf)
Zebroid (Zebra + Any Other Equine)
(Image credits: panoramio.com)
Darwin was one of the first to mention the Zebroid, an unruly animal that is hard to tame, and is more aggressive than a horse. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebroid)
Savannah Cat (Domestic Cat + Serval)
(Image credits: nitewindes.com)
These beautiful creatures have been described as dog-like, enjoying games of fetch, wagging their tails, and having no fear of water. They are extremely expensive. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_cat)
Wholphin (Male False Killer Whale + Female Bottlenose Dolphin)
(Image credits: sbingham.seabird)
False killer whales actually come from the same family as dolphins, but despite this, they are extremely rare. Only one wholphin exists in captivity. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Wholphin)
Beefalo (Buffalo + Cow)
(Image credits: beefalo.bandcamp.com)
Also called “cattalo,” they’ve been around since 1800, and are heartier than cattle and do less ecological damage when grazing. Unfortunately, as a result of the breeding, it’s believed that only four wild buffalo herds exist that aren’t contaminated by cow genes. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Beefalo)
Hinny (Female Donkey + Male Horse)
(Image credits: unknown)
Slightly smaller than mules, they’re also much less common. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinny)
Narluga (Narwhal + Beluga)
(Image credits: unknown)
Extremely rare, although there has recently been an increase in sighting in the North Atlantic.
Cama (Camel + Llama)
(Image credits: craigwright)
First produced at the Camel Reproduction Centre in Dubai in 1998 via artificial insemination, they were created for their fur and use of pack animals. Only 5 were ever made. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Cama)
Dzo (Cow + Wild Yak)
(Image credits: tomato umlaut)
Prized in Tibet and Mongolia for their meat and quantity of milk they produce, they are larger and stronger than both cows and yaks. As with the beefalo, however, it’s believed that both animal breeds in the region now have contaminated genes. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzo)
Leopon (Male Leopard + Female Lion)
(Image credits: unknown)
These beautiful animals have only ever produced in captivity. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopon)
Mulard (Mallard + Muscovy Duck)
(Image credits: prodejdrubeze.cz)
Bred for food, the mulard is unable to produce offspring. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulard)
Żubroń (Cow + European Bison)
(Image credits: wikimedia.org)
Stronger and more resistant to disease, they were initially thought to be a possible replacement for cattle. Now, only a small herd exists in Bialowieski National Park in Poland. (source: wikipedia.org/wiki/Żubron)
What I think is people should stop breeding animals that normally would not breed in nature. The babies that turn out well may be sold or exhibited, and those that don't wind up at sanctuaries if there is room, or dig neglected, or dying. There's a reason most of these are "found" only in a captivity.
I know for a fact that some times these couples do happen in nature although rare
@katieparker not sure why i cant directly reply to your comment but here is a great article. http://www.discoverwildlife.com/animals/why-do-animals-interbreed where ligers apparently did actually occur naturally in asia originally. this isnt the only article i have read on this matter but it is a great one non the less. I dont agree with cross breeding species because of all the genetic defects that occur, it really is quite sad. But some species definitely are blind when it comes to mating in the wild and produce beautiful hybrid offspring.
Can you tell me where you got this "fact?" I'd love to read about it. Having worked in the veterinary field, as well as volunteered at a sanctuary for big cats, I can assure you that the interbreeding of lions and tigers, for example, does not happen in the wild. And, what's more, that the offspring of such a match which cannot be sold live horrible lives, if they live at all. Even white tigers are being inbred because of the high demand for them as pets. Several of the tigers where I worked were "rejects" from the trade, with major medical issues. Not white, so...not wanted.
Maybe there forceing two diffrent animals to mate to make hybrid is true then that's mean
I know this comment is four years old now but I still have to give my two cents nevertheless. You claimed that wild hybrids between tigers and lions did not occur, but that is completely incorrect. When Asiatic lions still roamed in much heavier numbers in places in the Middle East and India, they actually would mate naturally with native tigers. There were several documented instances of this happening before the decline of the Asiatic lion's range.
Peoples hurt the nature.
yep
agrreed
Quit complaining, save being naggy for your husband if you even have one
@katieparker theres the "fact" for you
Honestly I don't remember the specific program name but I remember it in a wild animal program, I'll try looking for it but it was old
human cant make animal have sex it a mating thing if they in heat or want a kid animal with mate but unlike by human unless in a lab for test
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
you must be a millenial...
Snarky, but no. I'm flattered to think I still sound idealistic to some at my age, though. Thanks!
Ligers are a terrible thing for humans to create. They suffer from gigantism Their body never stops growing and becomes too much for the heart to handle. So although all the animals are cute....they aren't exactly healthy
I mean they can also be a type of tiger.
Not really. You think about the over bread dogs. Like jack russel or any small dog and hunting dogs that suffer a lot. Hybrid mix once and you get the best of two gene pools. Mix a dog with itself enough and your dog breath cannot select good genes anywhere, and are left with being inbred with deceases and issues. Hybrid is not like that at all. But the reason it works is a common forefather and similar working reproduction abilities. Now it meets itself down the line and can take from two lines of gene making and improvements. Cat and dog can breath , two cats can breathe. You have no idea how much was domesticated and cultivated for human purposes way back in time. All your common animals and vegetables has at one point gone thru a change and a cultivation to meet our needs or curiosity. That applies to animals on the great savanna , considered wildlife as well as to our home cat. So many animals disappeared, and we made up new ones , and to take out antelope we made cheetahs.
Agreed
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HgW86TwF_o STFU dumb cunt stop sprouting nonsense "facts" that you made up in your head
its a true fact
Rude much
Jaglion pic is not a jaglion. That is a melanistic jaguar aka Black Panther. And the beefalo picture us a bison. Many of these are real but those two I know for a fact are not. Come on boredpanda. I am dissapointed in these misinformations. You can do better.
Thank you for correcting us. We've updated the article. Let us know if you find anything else!
The leopon is actually a lion and jaguar hybrid. Look at it's spots.
The Geep picture is also not of a Geep. That is a pure sheep of the Jacob breed.
WilliamJames, donkeys CAN breed, it's mules that are infertile... Yes, I'm aware I'm responding to a four year old comment...
it's rare but a mule can have offspring
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Also donkeys are sterile and can't breed
I looked in the dictionary for beefalo and it was there. So, therefor beefalo are real.
This comment has been deleted.
What I think is people should stop breeding animals that normally would not breed in nature. The babies that turn out well may be sold or exhibited, and those that don't wind up at sanctuaries if there is room, or dig neglected, or dying. There's a reason most of these are "found" only in a captivity.
I know for a fact that some times these couples do happen in nature although rare
@katieparker not sure why i cant directly reply to your comment but here is a great article. http://www.discoverwildlife.com/animals/why-do-animals-interbreed where ligers apparently did actually occur naturally in asia originally. this isnt the only article i have read on this matter but it is a great one non the less. I dont agree with cross breeding species because of all the genetic defects that occur, it really is quite sad. But some species definitely are blind when it comes to mating in the wild and produce beautiful hybrid offspring.
Can you tell me where you got this "fact?" I'd love to read about it. Having worked in the veterinary field, as well as volunteered at a sanctuary for big cats, I can assure you that the interbreeding of lions and tigers, for example, does not happen in the wild. And, what's more, that the offspring of such a match which cannot be sold live horrible lives, if they live at all. Even white tigers are being inbred because of the high demand for them as pets. Several of the tigers where I worked were "rejects" from the trade, with major medical issues. Not white, so...not wanted.
Maybe there forceing two diffrent animals to mate to make hybrid is true then that's mean
I know this comment is four years old now but I still have to give my two cents nevertheless. You claimed that wild hybrids between tigers and lions did not occur, but that is completely incorrect. When Asiatic lions still roamed in much heavier numbers in places in the Middle East and India, they actually would mate naturally with native tigers. There were several documented instances of this happening before the decline of the Asiatic lion's range.
Peoples hurt the nature.
yep
agrreed
Quit complaining, save being naggy for your husband if you even have one
@katieparker theres the "fact" for you
Honestly I don't remember the specific program name but I remember it in a wild animal program, I'll try looking for it but it was old
human cant make animal have sex it a mating thing if they in heat or want a kid animal with mate but unlike by human unless in a lab for test
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
you must be a millenial...
Snarky, but no. I'm flattered to think I still sound idealistic to some at my age, though. Thanks!
Ligers are a terrible thing for humans to create. They suffer from gigantism Their body never stops growing and becomes too much for the heart to handle. So although all the animals are cute....they aren't exactly healthy
I mean they can also be a type of tiger.
Not really. You think about the over bread dogs. Like jack russel or any small dog and hunting dogs that suffer a lot. Hybrid mix once and you get the best of two gene pools. Mix a dog with itself enough and your dog breath cannot select good genes anywhere, and are left with being inbred with deceases and issues. Hybrid is not like that at all. But the reason it works is a common forefather and similar working reproduction abilities. Now it meets itself down the line and can take from two lines of gene making and improvements. Cat and dog can breath , two cats can breathe. You have no idea how much was domesticated and cultivated for human purposes way back in time. All your common animals and vegetables has at one point gone thru a change and a cultivation to meet our needs or curiosity. That applies to animals on the great savanna , considered wildlife as well as to our home cat. So many animals disappeared, and we made up new ones , and to take out antelope we made cheetahs.
Agreed
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HgW86TwF_o STFU dumb cunt stop sprouting nonsense "facts" that you made up in your head
its a true fact
Rude much
Jaglion pic is not a jaglion. That is a melanistic jaguar aka Black Panther. And the beefalo picture us a bison. Many of these are real but those two I know for a fact are not. Come on boredpanda. I am dissapointed in these misinformations. You can do better.
Thank you for correcting us. We've updated the article. Let us know if you find anything else!
The leopon is actually a lion and jaguar hybrid. Look at it's spots.
The Geep picture is also not of a Geep. That is a pure sheep of the Jacob breed.
WilliamJames, donkeys CAN breed, it's mules that are infertile... Yes, I'm aware I'm responding to a four year old comment...
it's rare but a mule can have offspring
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Also donkeys are sterile and can't breed
I looked in the dictionary for beefalo and it was there. So, therefor beefalo are real.
This comment has been deleted.