00:37Russia: You won't see this cute but fierce cat in the wild! The liliger
Russia: You won't this cute but fierce cat in the wild! The liliger
A liger, half-tiger-half lion, called Zita gave birth to three cubs with an African Lion mating partner Sam, in May, adding three new 'liligers' to the world's rare hybrid population at the Novosibirsk Zoo. The liger is the biggest known cat in the world.
Ligers are the opposite to tigons - a mix of a male tiger and a lioness. The liliger cubs have a tiger-like striping pattern on their bodies, and rose-like markings of a lion can also be seen on their fur. For these three cubs, standing out of the crowd is commonplace, and they certainly seem to be enjoying their very own circle of life.
Although ligers are already a rare hybrid, liligers are even more distinct. The first liliger ever conceived was born last year in the Novosibirsk Zoo. Ligers only exist in captivity, as the hybrid between a male lion and a tigress does not occur in the wild, and the same is for liligers.
Although mother Zita has a lot on her paws at the moment nurturing the three little cubs, the nine-year-old parent has achieved motherdom before, giving birth to another pack of cubs in 2012.
00:37Russia: You won't this cute but fierce cat in the wild! The liliger
A liger, half-tiger-half lion, called Zita gave birth to three cubs with an African Lion mating partner Sam, in May, adding three new 'liligers' to the world's rare hybrid population at the Novosibirsk Zoo. The liger is the biggest known cat in the world.
Ligers are the opposite to tigons - a mix of a male tiger and a lioness. The liliger cubs have a tiger-like striping pattern on their bodies, and rose-like markings of a lion can also be seen on their fur. For these three cubs, standing out of the crowd is commonplace, and they certainly seem to be enjoying their very own circle of life.
Although ligers are already a rare hybrid, liligers are even more distinct. The first liliger ever conceived was born last year in the Novosibirsk Zoo. Ligers only exist in captivity, as the hybrid between a male lion and a tigress does not occur in the wild, and the same is for liligers.
Although mother Zita has a lot on her paws at the moment nurturing the three little cubs, the nine-year-old parent has achieved motherdom before, giving birth to another pack of cubs in 2012.