Can animals of different genus mate and produce offspring?

Question

Specifically, could a panda bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and a grizzly bear (Ursus horribilis) mate to produce offspring? I looked up a few hybrid species but found that all of them were between species from the same genus. Panda bear and grizzly bear are in the same family but different genus, so I was just wondering if the interspecies breeding was limited to just animals of the same genus.

Thank you!

Answer 1

A hybrid could be produced between Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) and domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos). The hybrid is called a mule duck. A hybrid between Guinea fowls (Numida meleagris) and peafowl (Pavo cristatus) also exist.

Answer 2

Its POSSIBLE, but not likely.  

First off you've got to realize that Families, Orders, Genus, Species etc. are determined by people, not nature, so we COULD be wrong about what goes where.  With that said, they could be in the same genus (in reality, compared to our nomenclature)  However, with their obvious differences, and degree of biological separation (they are not like Dogs that were domesticated and can be bred Chi-wa-wa/Greyhound) is great.  If any hybrid offspring were created, without a doubt it would be sterile.

So, it wouldn't create any viable offspring (which is really all that matters), but COULD  (I really don't know if it would or not... I doubt a cross has ever happened with a panda and a brown bear) happen.  

Look at Biology as a science of regulated randoms, and it makes things fun and exciting.

Answer 3

Technically no, but only by definition.

The most accepted definition of species is simply two species in which there is no gene flow.  By gene flow it means the offspring must also be able to reproduce and covers ring species as well.

Sometimes the definition is vague and hardly enforced.  Some say that the gene flow must occur in the wild, but that definition isn't followed much either.  Coyotes and wolves apparently mate in the wild but are still considered different species.

Every other taxonomic level is completely arbitrary, so your scenario is still plausible, although it is unlikely.

For your specific example, pandas are pretty distant from other bears, so probably not.