White Lion And White Tiger Produces Little White Liger Cubs, And They're Irresistibly Cute
Have you heard about the felines called ligers? As the name suggests, these creatures are a crossbreed of a male lion and a female tiger.
These hybrids date back to the 19th century in India. Believe it or not, they're the biggest cat species in existence.
Their weight can go over 900 pounds and they can grow up to 11 feet lengthwise. They can grow even larger than their parents!
And although they have the same genus as their parents, ligers are considered a different species. They are different from the tigon, which is bred through a male tiger and a female lion.
Ligers in the wild are quite rare because both species aren't in the same region. They are often bred in captivity.
The typical liger has tawny fur (like that of a lion) with a light pattern of stripes that resemble a tiger's. The color of the markings can be sandy, dark brown, or blank.
The color and patterns of the cubs will depend on their parents' subspecies and how their genes interact. But so far, there have been no black ligers.
Today's animal story is about ligers. And these are not your typical breed.
The cubs are a crossbreed of a white tiger and a white lion. They were able to produce the first known white ligers.
From the left are cubs named Yeti, Odin, Sampson, and Apollo. They are considered the world's rarest cats.
It is estimated that only 100+ ligers exist in the world.
Barry Bland/Splash NewsThe four cubs are the rarest of the rare.
The male cubs are born to Ivory and Saraswati, a white lion and white tiger, respectively. White lions are extremely rare in this world.
According to the Global White Lion Protection Trust, less than 13 of these creatures are in the wild.
Barry Bland/Splash NewsThe family of big cats live in the T.I.G.E.R. Sanctuary, which is located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
This sanctuary is home to other ligers. Hercules is one of them.
He is the largest non-obese liger in the world, weighing a whopping 922 pounds. But even though he's big, he'll always be a baby to his handlers.
He loves to play with the young ones.
Barry Bland/Splash NewsT.I.G.E.R Sanctuary founder Dr. Antle was impressed at how fast the cubs grew. They were gaining one pound each day.
I skip a day seeing them and it looks like they’ve doubled in size. It’s like someone’s blowing them up with a tire pump.
Barry Bland/Splash NewsOf the four cubs, Yeti is the most energetic.
He loves being the center of attention. He’s also the biggest cub among his brothers. It wouldn't surprise Dr. Antle if he grows even bigger than Hercules.
Barry Bland/Splash News
Check out this video of the adorable ligers.
The little ligers, just like most tigers, love swimming. Their social nature comes from their lion lineage.
But since they're different creatures from their parents, they also have traits unique to their kind. What's even interesting is that Apollo (the smallest cub) is like a house cat.
He always curls up with his caretakers and loves to be petted by them.
