Liger vs. Tigon: Same Kinds of Parents, Very Different Qualities

Yes, although you'd be forgiven for thinking these hybrids sound made-up. A liger results from a male lion bred with a female tiger, while a tigon is the offspring of a male tiger and a female lion (lioness).

These crosses don’t occur in the wild, because lions and tigers don’t share habitats. They live on separate continents and have different behaviors. So when ligers and tigons do appear, it’s only in captivity under human-led breeding programs, often in zoos.

Ligers are the largest living cat known to science. Adult male ligers can tip the scales at over 900 pounds (408 kg) and stretch out more than 11 feet (3.4 meters) in total length. That’s nearly double the weight of an adult male lion or tiger.

Why so big? It has to do with the genetics: Neither parent provides the genes that would inhibit growth during their adolescence. It's a myth that ligers never stop growing, but their enormous size — which does tend to exceed that of their parent species — can cause health problems.

A fully grown adult liger can rear up on its hind legs and look you in the eye if you're standing. Despite their bulk, ligers enjoy swimming — a behavior inherited from their tiger moms. In contrast, lions generally avoid water.

Some researchers estimate that liger bite force rivals or even exceeds that of their parent species.

Tigons, the other lion-tiger hybrids, are smaller than ligers but still impressively large. A typical tigon weighs around 400 pounds (181 kg).

Because the male tiger breeds growth-limiting genes into the mix, tigons don’t experience the same impressive growth as ligers. This makes them closer in size to typical lions or tigers.

Physically, tigons show a fascinating blend of traits. You might see tiger stripes overlaying the lion’s sandy or dark brown coat. A female tigon often lacks a mane altogether, and even a male may only grow a small one.

Personality-wise, tigons are often more reserved and solitary — channeling their tiger father’s loner nature.

Because lions and tigers don’t naturally occur together in the wild, their hybrids can only be born in captivity. Places like Alipore Zoo in India and Hellabrunn Zoo in Germany have housed ligers and tigons, drawing attention and curiosity.

Breeding hybrids raises ethical red flags. While it might be tempting to marvel at a liger cub or a newborn tigon, these animals can suffer from serious health issues, such as joint disorders, neurological defects and shorter lifespans.

The situation becomes more complex with second generation hybrids, such as the liliger — born from a lion and a female liger. The first liliger birth happened in 2012 in a Russian zoo [source: National Geographic]. As of today, the liliger represents a controversial step further into hybrid territory.

Hybrid big cats often display unpredictable mixes of their parent species’ behaviors. Ligers tend to be more social, reflecting their lion father’s pride-based upbringing. Tigons, in contrast, might act more independently like their tiger dads.

These animals might look like supersized cats, but their hybrid status can come at a cost. For example, a liger’s massive body can stress organs not built for such weight. While a tigon’s more modest size may spare it some health problems, it still faces challenges inherent to hybridization.

From their unique genetic makeup to their striking appearances, liger offspring and tigons help scientists study inheritance, growth and even conservation ethics. But it’s important to remember that these creatures were born not from nature, but from curiosity.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.