Novosibirsk zoo caters to public demand for freak breedings
Rare ‘Liliger’ Born to Lion, Liger Couple
Eight-year-old female liger Zita
A rare hybrid of a lion and a liger, itself the offspring of a lion and a tiger, has been born at the Novosibirsk zoo.
Thezoo named thefemale “liliger” cub Kiara, after thedaughter ofthe lion Simba fromthe Disney movie “The Lion King,” head of the cats section atthe zoo Roza Solovyova told Interfax on Monday.
Kiara was born to8-year-old female liger Zita and male African lion Samson, Solovyova said.
Lions andtigers do not breed inthe wild but do sometimes produce offspring incaptivity, Solovyova said. Theanimal is known as a tigron when the father is atiger anda liger when thefather is a lion.
When afemale liger anda male lion breed, the offspring is called aliliger.
Male tigrons andligers are sterile, Solovyova said, but female hybrids can produce cubs.
Kiara’s mother, Zita, stopped producing milk almost immediately after giving birth, so zoo employees are feeding Kiara with abottle of artificial formula, Solovyova said.
Kiara is currently being nursed bya house cat that plays with her andkeeps her warm, she said.
Solovyova said that visitors tothe zoo will be able tosee Kiara ina month atthe earliest.
The Novosibirsk zoo has anarray ofabout 10,000 animals, with 702 different types in all.
Read more:http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/rare-liliger-born-to-lion-liger-couple/467565.html#ixzz26k7a1Rhd
The Moscow Times