Hybrid animals are those that are created when two different species mate.
This can result in some pretty strange creatures, and sometimes they actually exist! In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the strangest hybrid animals out there.
Some of them are cute, but others are just plain weird!
This sort of species mixing does not normally occur in nature, most are due to human intervention either accidentally by keeping animals of different species with one another or by artificial processes.
What exactly is a hybrid animal?
A species is defined as a group of living creatures that can exchange genes or interbreed, made up of similar individuals. When parents from two distinct (but usually extremely closely related) species are able to create offspring, however, a hybrid animal occurs.
Hybrids are typically sterile, therefore unable to reproduce, with the exception of a few special cases. It is feasible to develop a breeding line of hybridized creatures that are actually fertile with scientific intervention and specific breeding methods (including artificial insemination).
List of Hybrid Animals
Liger
The first on our list is the liger, which is a hybrid of a male lion and a female tiger. This massive creature can weigh up to 1000 pounds and grow to be over 11 feet long.
Tigon
The tigon is another big cat hybrid, this time between a male tiger and a lioness. Tigons are not as big as ligers, but they can still grow to be over 800 pounds!
Zonkey
This one is pretty self-explanatory – it’s a zebra and a donkey mixed together. These hybrids are also called zebroids. They usually have the stripes of a zebra combined with the coloration of a donkey.
Coywolf
The coywolf is a hybrid of a coyote and a wolf. These animals are found in North America and are actually becoming more common than some species of purebred wolves.
Coydog
The coydog is a hybrid of a coyote and a dog. These animals have been bred by humans as it would be unusual for these animals to come together in the wild.
More: Dog Breeds that Look like Coyotes
Leopon
The leopon is a lion-leopard hybrid. It has the body of a lion and the spots of a leopard. These animals are very rare and there are only a few known to exist in the world.
Grolar Bear
The grolar bear is a hybrid of a grizzly bear and a polar bear. These animals are found in the wild and their numbers are thought to be increasing due to climate change.
Cama
The cama is a hybrid of a dromedary camel and a llama. They have the body of a camel and the head and fur of a llama. They were developed with the goal of developing a mega-wool-producing animal that is strong and docile enough to serve as a pack animal in desert regions.
Savannah Cat
The savannah cat is a hybrid of a domestic cat and a Serval cat. These animals are becoming increasingly popular as pets due to their unique appearance.
Wholphin
The wholphin is a hybrid of a false killer whale and a dolphin. These creatures are very rare and there are only a few known to exist in the world.
Geep
The geep is a hybrid of a goat and a sheep. These animals are often sterile, but there have been a few reports of fertile geeps.
Beefalo
The beefalo is a hybrid of a cow and a buffalo. These animals are found in North America and are used for their meat and hide.
Hinny
The hinny is a hybrid of a male donkey and a female horse. These animals are less common than mules, which are the hybrids of a female donkey and a male horse.
Huarizo
A cross between a male llama and a female alpaca.
So there you have it – some of the strangest hybrid animals in the world!
Did any of these surprise you?