Interspecies hybrids: natural & artificial

[BorneanTiger]

Years before the Cat Specialist Group published the classification of 2 subspecies in 2017, this Mexican zoo was in such a rush to find a mate for a male Amur tiger that it got a Bengal tigress to mate with it, and produce a hybrid litter of cubs: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtub...f98c55701d

"AUDIO AS INCOMING

1. Various of female Bengal tiger with her cubs inside enclosure

2. Close-up of three cubs resting in hay

3. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Felipe Ramirez Sanchez, Jaguar Zoo veterinarian:

"The Siberian tiger species is a species that is in danger of extinction. Currently there are fewer than 2,000 of them in the wild, but there are more in captivity and there are different organisations around the world that are trying make sure this species does not disappear. In this park, we have a (male) Siberian tiger and it's important to us that they reproduce."

4. Various of female tiger cleaning her cubs in their enclosure

5. Mid of cubs

6. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Felipe Ramirez Sanchez, Jaguar Zoo veterinarian:

"This litter is the result of the mating of a female Bengal tiger and a male Siberian tiger. Despite being two different subspecies, the cross-mating was done successfully and the cubs are in good condition."

7. Close-up of cub opening its mouth

8. Mid female tiger with cub climbing over her paw

9. Various of cubs with their mother

10. Close-up of cubs

11. Mid of cubs sleeping while mother sits next to them

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Jaguar Zoo in southern Mexico has three new members, a litter of half-Bengal, half-Siberian tiger cubs born on 3 April.

The cubs made their public debut on Tuesday.

The zoo, located 43 kilometres (26 miles) south east of the city of Oaxaca, mated their 12-year-old Siberian male tiger named Yagul with an 8-year-old female Bengal tiger, Yaki, to produce the litter of three.

"Despite being from two different subspecies, the cross-mating was done successfully and the cubs are in good condition," said the zoo's veterinarian, Felipe Ramirez Sanchez.

Although the zoo lacks a specific breeding program for the critically endangered Siberian tigers, also known as Amur tigers, Ramirez said that they hope to find a Siberian female to mate with Yagul to produce fully Siberian cubs.

"The Siberian tiger species is a species that is in danger of extinction. Currently there are fewer than 2,000 of them in the wild," he noted, saying also that they will start searching for a Siberian mate in other Mexican zoos. Bengal tigers are more numerous and are only considered threatened," he said.

The relatively small zoo receives around a thousand visitors each week and features 70 animals from 50 different species."

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