Tigers and Lions Crossbreeding Tiger Habitat Tropical and

Tigers and Lions Crossbreeding

Tiger Habitat Tropical and evergreen forests, woodlands, grasslands, rocky country, swamps, and savannas. n Dense vegetation for camouflage. n Ponds, lakes, and rivers. n Asia n

Tiger Hunting & Diet Carnivores n Hunt alone. n Prey are larger and medium sized animals. n Stalk the prey and kill with strangulation. n

Tiger Reproduction Gestation- 4 months n An average of 3 -4 cubs are born n Out of den- 8 weeks n Leave mother- 2 -21/2 years of age n Females stay in an area close to mother n

Tiger Anatomy

Tiger Anatomy n n n n Females weigh between 275 -400 pounds Males weigh between 400 -600 pounds Have retractable claws up to 5 inches in length Scratching on the bark of trees help sharpen claws and mark territory Have 19 pairs of chromosomes Average tail length is 36 inches Adult tiger has 30 teeth Average length of the whiskers is 6 inches

Tiger Anatomy Continued Largest subspecies is the Siberian n Smallest subspecies is the Sumatran n Muscular strength comes from the shoulders and front legs to bring down prey n Lifespan-15 years in wild and 16 -18 years in captivity n Largest species of the cat family n

Lion Habitat Africa-south of the Sahara desert. n Savanna and grassland. n Largest carnivore in Africa. n

Lion Hunting & Diet n n Carnivores. Lionesses work as a group and kill prey with strangulation. Prey are usually larger mammals. Drink water when it is available but also uses the stomach contents as moisture from their prey

Lion Reproduction Gestation- 110 days n 1 to 4 cubs are born blind and helpless n Weaning – 6 to 7 months n 80% of cubs die before the age of 2. n

Lion Anatomy

Lion Anatomy Males have a mane to make them appear larger and protects the neck during conflicts n Digitigrade- “toe walker” their heels do not touch the ground n Females and Males continue to grow until the age of 6 n Born with black spots on the back of ears and continue to have them through life n

Pride n n n A pride of lions consists of related females and offspring and a small number of adult males. One male is in charge of one pride or a group around 3. The male/s protect the females and their territory. The lions roar can be heard 5 -6 miles away to let the pride know where he is and to let strangers know it is their territory. Outsider males may challenge the male in charge. All lactating females will allow any cub from the pride to nurse.

Tigers and Lions Breeding n n n This does not happen in the wild. The opportunity presents itself if a lion and tiger are in close confinement with each other. This is a human error and not natural.

Father Mother Outcome Lion Tiger Lion Liger Tiglon Lion Tiger Liger Tiglon Li-liger Li-tiglon Ti-liger Ti-tiglon

Ligers n n Male lion with a female tiger. Presents with both stripes and spots. Stands approximately 12 feet tall!!! May weigh up to 1, 000 pounds.

Ligers Largest hybrid cat in the world. n The tiger produces a hormone that sets the fetal liger on a pattern of growth that does not end throughout its life. n Males are sterile from the hormone (permanent pre-puberty). n Females are often fertile. n

n Tiger with a Liger in behind.

A liger named Hercules standing 10 feet tall. n 3 years old… still growing n Eats 20 pounds of meat a day n

Tiglons or Tigons n n n Male tiger with a female lion. Have stripes and spots. Male offspring may have mane. Usually smaller than parents. Not as common as a Liger.

Health Problems n n n n Low lifespan Neurological defects Birth defects Tiglons are more prone to dwarfism Tiglons are often born prematurely due to the lack of room in the lioness. severe hip-dysplasia, cross-eyes, weakened immune systems, abnormalities, and birth defects. Always in captivity-so we do not know how they would perform in the wild.

Emotional & Behavioral Problems Confusion n Tigers like to be independent while lions like to be social. n Tigers like to play in the water but lions rarely do this activity. n n This equals depression Chantel King-Exotics Spring 2008