Ligers... Why are they sterile? ?

Question

Does anyone know?

Answer 1

From: Wikipedia.com

"While male ligers are sterile, female ligers can usually reproduce. Because only female ligers and tigons are fertile, a liger cannot reproduce with another liger or with a tigon. The offspring from a coupling of a female liger and a male tiger is referred to as a ti-liger, while the offspring produced from a female liger and a male lion is referred to as a li-liger.

The fertility of hybrid big cat females is well-documented across a number of different hybrids. This is in accordance with Haldane's rule: in hybrids of animals whose gender is determined by s*x chromosomes, if one gender is absent, rare or sterile, it is the heterogametic s*x (the one with two different s*x chromosomes e.g. X and Y).

According to Wild Cats of the World (1975) by C. A. W. Guggisberg, ligers and tigons were long thought to be sterile: In 1943, however, a fifteen-year-old hybrid between a lion and an 'Island' tiger was successfully mated with a lion at the Munich Hellabrunn Zoo. The female cub, although of delicate health, was raised to adulthood.[11]"

Answer 2

While male ligers are sterile, female ligers can usually reproduce. Because only female ligers and tigons are fertile, a liger cannot reproduce with another liger or with a tigon. The offspring from a coupling of a female liger and a male tiger is referred to as a ti-liger, while the offspring produced from a female liger and a male lion is referred to as a li-liger.

The fertility of hybrid big cat females is well-documented across a number of different hybrids. This is in accordance with Haldane's rule: in hybrids of animals whose gender is determined by s*x chromosomes, if one gender is absent, rare or sterile, it is the heterogametic s*x (the one with two different s*x chromosomes e.g. X and Y).

According to Wild Cats of the World (1975) by C. A. W. Guggisberg, ligers and tigons were long thought to be sterile: In 1943, however, a fifteen-year-old hybrid between a lion and an 'Island' tiger was successfully mated with a lion at the Munich Hellabrunn Zoo. The female cub, although of delicate health, was raised to adulthood.

Answer 3

It is because the chromosomes are a different number. For example, If a lion has 20 and a tiger has 31 then the baby will have an odd number, and it is sterile. If the number is the same (20 and 20 or 35 and 35) the baby will not be sterile. It is the same with mules. They can not reproduce either.

Answer 4

LKigers are so cute

Answer 5

they aren't they are just a mix between a lion and a tiger.

Answer 6

...and why are they so B I G ?

Answer 7

no male liger has yet been found not to be sterile, but this is not true for the female ligers, they are able to breed with male lions.  therefore producing li-ligers.

look at web site listed below for further details.

http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/ligers2....

Answer 8

only male ligers are sterile. the females can reproduce. i dont remember the exact reason, but its something with the chromosomes

Answer 9

Only male Ligers and Tigons are sterile, please go here to find out why hybrids are generally sterile: http://news.softpedia.com/news/Why-Hybri...

Go here for more information on Ligers: http://www.answers.com/topic/liger?metho...