The first tiger lion gave birth in Russia

Novosibirsk Zoo in Russia has just released the first "product" image between a tiger lion and a male lion.

Everyone knows the tiger lion (liger) is a hybrid of a male lion and a female lion. But perhaps few people could imagine the appearance of a child between a tiger lion and a male lion. Such animals are called "liliger".

The first liliger was born at Novosibirsk zoo. The zoo staff called it Kiara, National Geographic.

Kiara, descendant of a male African lion
and a tiger lion. (Photo: Novosibirsk Zoo)

Craig Packer, director of the Center for Lion Studies at the University of Minnesota in the US, said that this was the first lilger on the planet, but he did not feel surprised at its birth. According to him, all tiger lions are born in captivity because they cannot survive in the wild environment. The groups of rare tigers and lions live in completely different areas so they cannot mate. Assuming two species live in a geographic area, they cannot do it either.

"If a male tiger tries to mate with a female lion, a male lion will attack the tiger. Conversely, if a male lion approaches a female tiger, a male tiger will also seek to Repel other species, " explains Packer.

But in captivity, tigers and lions can mate if they have no other choice.

"Tigers and lions used to have common ancestors, but they started splitting into two separate species from about 7 million years ago. Even so, today they can still mate with each other to give birth , " Packer said .

Packer added that, if living in a wild environment, liliger like Kiara will show the behavior of both lions and tigers.

"Lions live in groups and cooperate with each other. Tigers often live alone and fixed in an area," he said.