Did you know that there has been a lot of animal experimentation in zoos in various parts of the world? This has since resulted in weird hybrids! Two species with close enough DNAs can come up with offspring that can teach us a lot. You might have already heard of the liger, but it is only one of many hybrids out there. In fact, there are so many possible combinations that it can become confusing. Have you ever wondered what would happen when a tiger and a lion mate? The answer to that is none other than a tigon or a liger, depending on their sex. There are a lot of other bizarre hybrids that you would not find naturally in nature, although there are some that do not require human intervention as well. Are you ready to get up close and personal with them all?
You Probably Had No Idea That These Animal Hybrids Even Existed
Liger
It is pretty basic. You get a liger when a female tiger and a male lion mate! The rather strange combination means that they can grow beyond the typical size of either parent. This makes the liger the biggest feline on the planet. Sadly, the size results in health problems like heart failure as well. That is the reason they do not typically live as long as tigers and lions. Their organs are usually too small for their big bodies.
Liger
Cama
What is a cama? It is the result of a cross between a llama and a one-humped camel. The animal was created at the Camel Reproduction Centre in Dubai. It was bred in a project to make something that could make more wool than a llama with a better temperament than a camel. The cama was made through artificial insemination as a male camel is five times as heavy as a female llama.
Cama
Zonkey
Do you agree that love is blind? Perhaps this is the case if a zebra and donkey mate, ultimately resulting in a zonkey. This animal is a zebroid or zebra hybrid. Among all of those, the zonkey is the rarest. When it comes to genetics, donkeys and zebras are similar. The cross makes for a fascinating combination, but there is a downside to this mix. Zonkeys are typically born with dwarfism!
Zonkey
Grolar Bear
If you look at the coloring of the bear in this photo, you can probably guess that it resulted from a cross between a polar and a grizzly bear. Known as the grolar or pizzly, this animal is seen both in the wild and in captivity. In general, the two types of bears avoid each other. Sadly, melting ice caps have led polar bears further south. This has caused them to bump into their brown counterparts more often.
Grolar Bear
Zorse
The zorse is also a zebroid. The difference between this and a zonkey is that it is a cross between a horse and a zebra. Horses are further away genetically from zebras than donkeys as they have a different chromosome number. This is why congenital disabilities like dwarfism crop up more often. The charming hybrids tend to come with a unique feature. Those with spots typically only have stripes in isolated areas.
Zorse
Savannah Cat
This is what you get when you cross a domestic cat with an African wild cat called a serval. The Savannah cat is an exotic but docile creature. It became popular in the ‘90s, but it only became a registered cat breed at the new millennium’s start. The good news is that it does not have that many health risks! On top of that, you can also bring one home with you as a house pet.
Savannah Cat
Wholphin
You are looking at Kawili Kai, who is part wholphin and part dolphin. Her mother, Kekaimalu, is the only wholphin known to exist. The wholphin is part dolphin and part false killer whale. Even though the name suggests that a wholphin is a part whale, you should remember that a false killer whale is nothing more than a type of dolphin. Its rarity makes it special, however. Kekaimalu is the known living wholphin.
Wholphin
Beefalo
In the 18th century, settlers accidentally crossed bison and cattle when they first brought the latter to the New World. They were later crossbred more intentionally, but a couple of them got loose. You will now find wild herds of the beefalo close to the Grand Canyon. They wreak havoc by emptying watering holes and making a mess no matter where they go! It is now a debate if we should capture them.
Beefalo
Tigon
The Tigon is the result of a cross between a male tiger and a female lion. The sex of the parents is what makes it different from a Liger. You would think that the tigon and the liger would look similar, but they are quite different. Tigons do not grow to be as big as ligers, nor do they typically develop dwarfism. Overall, they are healthier than their close cousins.
Tigon
Wolfdog
You can probably guess what parents a wolfdog has. It is essentially a cross between a dog and a wolf. It has been thousands of years since we have domesticated dogs. Despite this, there are still pet owners who want more wolf-ness in their pets. Wolfdogs, however, are known for being more dangerous and less predictable than house dogs for this very reason. There is a good reason they are illegal in several states. Even if this is the case, we can’t deny that it is a very appealing creature.
Wolfdog
Jaglion
There are a lot of big cat hybrids out there. The Jaglion is one of them. It is a cross between a lioness and a jaguar. This photo shows a female jaglion called Jazhara, conceived by accident in Bear Creek Sanctuary in 2006. Tsunami, her brother, looks more like a leopard than a jaguar or a lion. Their parents Diablo and Lola, have been inseparable ever since they were taken to the sanctuary, where they all live.
Jaglion
Narluga
Narlugas, unlike other hybrids, live in the wild. The mix of narwhal and beluga whales may be brought about by climate change since they have to live in the same space. They do not have the horn, but they have big heads and coloring of the narwhal. Their shape looks like that of the beluga.
Narluga
Mule Bird
Aww, how cute is that? The adorable mule bird is a cross between the canary and goldfinch. They are also called British finches because they were once bred as house pets. In the United Kingdom, so many people hunted or caught them that the government decided to make it illegal to hunt them in 1981.
Mule Bird
Blood Parrot Cichlid
The name of the blood parrot cichlid is not the only bizarre thing about it. The blood parrot cichlid is a cross between a cichlid, and a Midis fish has two very different parents. In the end, the result looks great but suffers from a few congenital disabilities like a mouth that cannot close. They tend to leave a lot of debris behind while eating! Mind you. These creatures tend to eat a lot.
Blood Parrot Cichlid
Mulard
This creature has a name that comes from mallard and mule. It makes sense as it is a cross between Pekin and Muscovy ducks. This creature is not bread for the way it looks but for the way it tastes. The mulard is calmer ad hardier, which means that they make better foie gras and meat.
Mulard
Coydog
The coydog, similar to the wolfdog, has parents that you can easily guess. You are correct if you guessed that it is a cross between a dog and a coyote. These animals were bred in Pre-Columbian Mexico for generations, although they are bred in captivity today. Wolfdogs are usually more trustworthy and calmer. On the other hand, coydogs tend to be more mischievous creatures!
Coydog
Dzo
In Tibet and Mongolia, yaks and cattle are bred together to make hardier animals. The result is none other than the dzo, which is sometimes called the yattle in certain English-speaking countries. They are normally more productive in terms of meat and milk. However, the problem is that the males are sterile. You can, therefore, consider this creature a true hybrid made for practical purposes, just like the mule.
Dzo
Mangalica
Even though this is not an actual hybrid, the Mangalica is definitely one bizarre animal. It looks like a mix between a sheep and pig! The Mangalica is a Hungarian prig intentionally bred to produce lard. It almost got wiped out in the ‘80s, but farmers have been breeding more of them in recent years. Even though they have adorable woolly curls, they are more popular for their popular sausages instead.
Mangalica
Bernedoodle
The “doodle” craze has swept the dog breeding scene as of late. The bernedoodle results from a cross between a poodle and a Bernese mountain dog, but it will not grow to be as big as the latter due to its poodle genes. This is known to be an easygoing and playful dog that likes to swim and run.
Bernedoodle
Iron Age Pig
In case you were wondering, the iron age pig is a hybrid of the domestic pig and a wild boar. Originally, they were bred to look like something out of a cave wall painting from the Iron Age. Many of these animals wound up in the wild, so they are now an invasive species in different parts of the United States.
Iron Age Pig
Geep
Also known as a shoat, the geep is half goat and half sheep. If you ask us, it is a hundred percent adorable regardless of its parentage! We are a little sad to report that the hybrid is pretty hard to encounter. Its rarity has something to do with the fact that they are typically stillborn.
Geep
Coywolf
Fun fact: wolves and coyotes only diverged biologically around 300,000 years ago. All things considered, this is still pretty recent. We can see why the two species can still procreate with relative ease. The result is the coywolf, a creature with similar behavioral characteristics to both of its parents. It is usually somewhere between the wolf and the coywolf when it comes to size.
Coywolf
Hinny
Can you guess what the hinny is? You were right if you guessed that it resulted from a cross between a female donkey and a male horse. On the other hand, you are totally wrong if you guessed that it is just a mule. The difference is that the mule is the result of a mix between a female horse and a male donkey.
Hinny
Leopon
You are looking at a hybrid animal that has come about after a cross between a lioness and a male leopard. The head looks like a female lion. Despite this, the rest of its body takes more after the father. The leopon is an animal that is only bred in captivity.
Leopon
Zubron
In the photo below, you can see a zubron. This animal is the result of a cross between the cow and the European Bison. It was made to replace cattle in the European continent, but it did not pan out. There is only a tiny herd of it left, and they all live in Bialowieski National Park, Poland.
Zubron
Toyger
The Toyger is what you get when you breed a Bengal breed and a Domestic Shorthair tabby. This animal was initially bred in the United States back in the ‘80s to raise awareness about the tiger population’s conservation. By 2020, records show 469 registered Toygers all over the world.
Toyger
Litigon
One way to look at the litigon is as the opposite of the liger. The tigon is also a hybrid animal that came from a cross between a lioness and a male tiger. A 6-year-old tigon gave birth to two litigons in a zoo in Haikou, China. This momentous occasion took place on June 24, 2016.
Litigon
Green Sea Slug
You are not the only person who thinks that the green sea slug would work as a name for a sci-fi film creature. There is a reason it is that color. The DNA of the sea slug comes with the genetic material of the algae that it feeds on. It mutates it into an animal-plant hybrid that can eat food or create its own. How convenient does that sound? We are sure that it comes in handy when they are hungry.
Green Sea Slug
Zony
We are sure that you would agree with us when we say that the zony looks a lot like the horse. Well, it makes a lot of sense once you hear about its parents. It looks so equine that it is the result of a cross between a pony mare and a zebra stallion.
Zony
Pumapard
This is what you get when you cross a male puma and a female leopard. The pumapard can also be made when a male leopard and a female puma mate. In general, this hybrid animal tends to be born with dwarfism. It usually does not grow to be as big as either a puma or a leopard.
Pumapard
Gajasimha
It is certainly fascinating to learn more about these animal hybrids. Why don’t we take a look at mythological ones as well? The Gajasimha is a mythical creature from Indian lore that features the head of an elephant and the body of a lion. It is hard to learn more about it outside of all the painted and sculptural depictions of it. Most of them are located in temples in South India and South East Asia.
Gajasimha
Buraq
The Buraq, on the other hand, is a mythical creature that exists in Islam. It is a horse-like being that has a peacock tail and a human face. What a strange combination! We wonder who came up with that. In case you are not familiar with the religion, this creature is known to take prophets to Heaven.
Buraq
Hippalectryon
Let us head over to the Greek pantheon next. The Hippalectryon is a creature that is half-rooster and half-horse. According to playwright Aristophanes, the Hippalectryon is “so comically ugly that it invited laughter from people around, thus driving evil away for good.” You are going to find this quote of his from The Frogs.
Hippalectryon
Khepri
If you ask us, the Khepri seems like a superhero from a comic book. It comes from Egyptian mythology, where it is primarily shown as a humanoid man with a beetle head. There are also certain depictions of it showing goat legs, although this is not always the case. What an interesting combination. We doubt that you have ever seen anything like this in the past.
Khepri
Monocerus
In Greek mythology, a Moncerus is said to look similar to a Unicorn. However, it is a little different if you look at Medieval lore. In the Middle Ages, it was said to be a creature with the “head of a stag, the body of a horse, the legs of an elephant and a tail of a boar” on top of its ability to pierce elephant skin. Whoa. It is definitely a striking mythical creature. We are going to give it that!
Monocerus
Humanzee
The humanzee is a fictional combination of chimpanzee and man. (Homo sapiens sapiens x Pan). Serious endeavors have been undertaken to produce such a hybrid. The term humanzee in portmanteau seems to have been in use for a human-chimpanzee hybrid in the 1980s.
Humanzee
Huarizo
A recent genetic study at the University of Minnesota shows that the natural process might not be fully infertile. There is also a link between a huarizo and an alpaca, the huarache (species of mountain sheep/gazelle sheep) being a hybrid between males and females. Huazos seem to be most similar to South American camelids in terms of their fiber, their size, and because they are smaller.
Huarizo
Polecat–mink
A polecat–mink hybrid is a hybrid between a European polecat and a European mink, known as Khor-tumak by furriers and khonorik by fanciers. Such interbreeding is extremely difficult to breed and usually happens only when the European mink declines.
Polecat Mink
Polecat–ferret
A hybrid polecat–ferret between a wild, European polecat and a domestic animal ferry, is a hybrid. A crossover between the two species usually has a distinctive white neckband, white paws, and white hair intermixed between the fur.
Polecat–ferret
Pine Marten
The ears of the Pine Marten are longer and more prominent than the Polecat. The pine marten has a dark brown body with a paler yellow belly and stomach but a reddish brown-colored head. While the polecat has white stripes on its face and a black band around its muzzle, it looks more like a badger’s mask.
Pine Marten
Gamebird
Gamebird hybrids are the product of crossbreeding between game bird species, such as ducks and domestic poultry. These hybrid species can often be found in the wild, but humans are often created by humans, either intentionally or inadvertently.
Gamebird
Golem
Golems are portrayed as creatures made of inanimate matter, such as clay or mud, that have been resurrected to fulfill some Jewish folklore tasks. In some legends, a golem is built to protect Jews from antisemitic attacks. And according to legend, golems are incredibly loyal and would carry out instructions to the letter, so their designers had to be very careful what they wanted them to do.
Golem
Ogre
Ogres appear in myths and legends from all over the world, and although the term comes from the ancient Etruscan god Orcus, the beast itself originated from the man-eating god. Many of us are familiar with ogres thanks to Shrek, but Shrek isn’t your average ogre. Ogres are typically big, heavy, and hairy, with a voracious appetite. They’re either portrayed as dull and dim-witted or as brutal, but who knows? Perhaps they’re layered like an onion.
Ogre
Fairies
Faeries, also called fairies, fey, or fae, have their origins in Old French historical romantic tales. These mythical creatures or spirits have appeared in numerous myths, legends, and stories throughout history, up to the present day. When we think of fairies or faeries, we usually see tiny, winged, magical beings. Outside of Victorian artwork, faeries were rarely portrayed with wings. Faeries were said to fly using magic and sometimes catch a trip on a friendly bird’s back in folklore.
Fairies
Gorgon
The Gorgons, like the infamous Medusa, were fearsome creatures capable of turning their victims to stone with a single glance. The Gorgons’ appearance was a strange combination of lovely and terrifying, with their most distinguishing characteristic being that they wore live snakes rather than fur. The myths of Gorgons teach us not to be fooled by appearances alone.
Gorgon
Mermaid
Mermaids have fascinated people over the years because of their peculiar allure. The origins of myths about half-human, half-fish beings can be traced all the way back to Babylon. Merpeople can also be found in Syrian, Polynesian, and Ancient Greek. While some cultures portrayed mermaids as glamorous and romantic (in Irish mythology, mermaids might turn into human form and marry humans), other cultures portrayed them as evil and competent of hastening and causing a catastrophe.
Mermaid
Minotaur
According to Greek mythology, the Minotaur was the son of the Goddess of Crete and a mighty bull who came from the sea. The Minotaur had a human body and a bull’s head and tail. King Minos was so appalled by this development that he had a complex maze called the Labyrinth designed to imprison him.
Minotaur
Aqrabuamelu
The Aqrabuamelu or scorpion is a hideous beast from old Mesopotamia, particularly from the Babylonian myths of creation. They are a scorpion’s and a man’s combination, a scorpion’s body with a person’s face, torso, and arms. As they looked awful and were made to fight the Gods, they are also guardians and sometimes alert travelers at risk.
Aqrabuamelu
Fauns
Fauns or goat men have been transported from Greek Satyrs to Roman mythology. The presence of Satyr was based, in turn, on the god Pan. With a goat’s legs and tail, a man’s upper body. Other goatlike characteristics such as horns and pointy ore are also presented in art. These goats provided advice for needy travelers.
Fauns
Werewolf
The origin of the werewolf or lycanthrope with traces of German pagan, Slavic, and traditional Greek mythology is unbelievably complex. Evidently, werewolves remained so common until today, despite their old roots. A wolf is generally a man who can turn or shape into a wolf, even though tales can vary according to the story. The whole moon could be involved or not.
Werewolf
Loch Ness Monster
The story of the Loch Ness Monster, which was specifically examined as Nessie, surprisingly dates all the way back to the Picts, an old Scottish people. Scottish folklore, but Nessie is probably the most popular, is full of supernatural creature water. The Loch Ness Monster is similar in appearance to a plesiosaur, a dinosaur built on water. Because most photographic or visual testimonials are regarded as falsifying, the creature is believed to be a myth. Many do say, however, that today Nessie is out!
Nessie
Griffin
The griffin was a compelling and magnificent species of ancient Egyptian and Persian mythology is a combination of a lion and an eagle. The griffins were traditionally represented, besides the eagle’s head, wings, and talons, by a lion’s body, tail, and hind legs. However, often, creatures with front paws were also known for griffin sculpture. Legend has it that griffins were guardians of great treasure and wealth.
Griffin
Phoenix
The phoenix is a legendary eagle species recognized only as the juvenile phoenix to rise from ashes, known colloquially for exploding into a fire at the end of its existence. The Phoenix was synonymous with sun worship in ancient Egyptian and classical myths and was depicted as a huge bird with golden and red plumage that could live for hundreds of years. Phoenix symbolized intolerance, eternity, and regeneration.
Phoenix
Bigfoot
Although many think this entity is the missing piece among apes and humans, Bigfoot and Sasquatch are generally regarded as mythological beings. Bigfoot is characterized by a large, hairy mammalian creature, around six to nine feet high. In Northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, alleged bigfoot encounters happened in specific North American legends.
Bigfoot
Chimera
The chimera is a mythic burning beast of Greek mythology, commonly portrayed as a lion merging with a goat and a snake, associated with monsters like Cerberus. However, the word chimera is now used in several ways to describe any creature composite of several animals that are often made up of vastly different pieces.
Chimera
Goldendoodle
The Golden doodle, is a dogbreed that is a mixture of a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. It is also well known under the name of Labradoodle and is due to its hypoallergenic properties very popular. Even the former President of the United States Barack Obama has one. An average Labradoodle is 66cm long and weights around 15-20 kg. Labradoodles are great dogs, due to the fact that they are very friendly, energetic and intelligent.
Goldendoodle
Wolphin
The Wolphin, is a mixture between a Narwhal and a Beluga. It is a hybrid animal, made out of a female dolphin and a male killer whale. The first Nargula was born in the Seaworld in Tokyo however, only lived around 200 days. There were only 8 wolphins on this planet and most of them only survived a few months.
Wolphin
Dzo
The Dzo is a crossing between a cow and a wild yalk. The males are called Dzo and are sterile, while the female are called Dzomo and are fertile. They are only found in Mongolia and Tibet and are known to be better in milk production as well as in meat production compared to a normal cow. Other than many other hybrids, Dzo have the ability to back cross.
Dzo
Two Headed Cow
Another very interesting animal mutation case is Anabel. Anabel is a calf from Florida, which was born in 2015. The unique thing about her? She had two heads. This means she has two mouths, two noses and four eyes. The owners of her mom tried to help her and fed her every day and took care of her. Unfortunately also the veterinarians couldn’t help her in any way. After just 30 days, Anabelle died.
Two Headed Cow
Two Headed Shark
Two headed sharks are nothing unusual anymore. Scientists believe that the reason for this is the overfishing, which results in a higher chance for a genetic disorder. If a two-headed shark already survives birth, the chances that he will live for more than a few months are very low.
Two Headed Shark
Three Headed Frog
There are not only to headed animals, but even three headed ones. A great example, is “Froggy” the three-headed frog, with six legs. This special mutation was found in a water resort in England and is one of the rarest frog mutations that was found within the last 200 years. Froggy is also very special, as it survived for many years, which is very unusual for genetic mutations.
Three Headed Frog
4 Legged Goat
A goat in Croatia was born with 8 legs, due to a mutation. The goat was not only special because of the double amount if legs it had, but also because it had male, as well as female reproduction organs. Veterinarians found out, that the mutation developed out of remnants of his underdeveloped twin. Unfortunately the special goat only survived one week.
4 Legged Goat
Duck with 4 Legs
A very similar case was found in the year of 2014 in Louisiana, USA. A duck was born with 4 legs, but in contrary to most other mutated animals, the duck survived and lived a normal life. The duck got so famous, that he even got his own social media pages. 2 or 4 legs, this duck is super cute.
Duck with 4 Legs
Two Headed Snake
This snake doesn’t only have two heads but is also an albino snake. This mutation just doubled the worth of the special snake, that is known under the name of “Medusa”. The owner of Medusa paid unbelievable $50.000 to get the extraordinary snake. Among snakes mutations, such as two heads, or two tails, happen frequently.
Two Headed Snake
Squitten
Have you ever heard of the term “Squitten”? A Squitten is a genetic mutation in which the cat doesn’t have a radius bone. Due to the absence of the bone, they resemble a squirrel, hence the name. With the right specialists, this condition can be treated well and the cat can live a normal lif.
Squitten
Rudy The Pig
Rudy is a pig that was born with two heads, two snouts and three eyes. Unfortunately, Rudy had many health problems. He couldn’t walk properly and also had to wear a helmet as he frequently fell. Rudy was later bought by a research foundation, where he lived until his death. This specific mutation, only was found another time in a pig in China.
Rudy The Pig
Franklou The Two Headed Cat
The Cat Farnklou is one of the most famous cats of all times. Why? Because it has two heads on one body. The mutation that creates this phenomena is called diprosobia and is very rare. Usually animals with this condition don’t live long, however Franklou made it until his 12 birthday. Do to their special condition, they even made it into the “Guiness Books Of World Records”.
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2 Headed Turtle
There are also many cases of 2 headed turtles. The condition that is created by the mutation, is called Polycephaly. If a reptile has Polycephaly in most of the cases it has two heads (one next to the other) or one at the top and one at the bottom of the body. Reptiles with this condition often have problems surviving in the wild, and most of the time already day after a few weeks or months.
2 Headed Turtle
Blobfish
The next animal doesn’t have a mutation, however it is known to be one of the ugliest animals alive. Which one is it? The blobfish. The blobfish has a very big and slushy looking body and is usually white or gray. Due to its special flesh, it can adapt perfectly to deep waters. The blobfish might not be the prettiest animal, but it is for sure one of the most interesting ones there are.
Blobfish
Naked Mole Rat
Another animal that is known to be rather ugly, is the naked mole rat. The rat is nearly blind and has a very bad eye sight. Regarding the fact that they are living deep underground, they don’t really need to see well. If they need to figure out directions, they do it with the fine hairs that covers their body.
Naked Mole Rat
Proboscis Monkey
The Proboscis monkey is one of the most rememberable animals of the jungle! The monkey can be recognized due to its enormous nose. The bigger the nose, the more attracted the female Proboscis monkey is by the male. They do not only look extravagant, but also a very fast on land and in water.
Proboscis Monkey
Star Nosed Mole
The next animal on our list is also very rememerable. It’s the star nosed mole, which has its name due to its extraordinary nose that literally looks like a star. Their nose has many receptors, which makes the star nosed mole a legendary hunter. The special mole has one of the most sensitive in the whole animal kingdom.
Star Nosed Mole
Aye Aye
The Aye Aye is an animal found in Madagascar and is very famous due to different movies such as “Madagascar” and co. Looking at the Aye Aye the first thing one notices are its carzy eyes and its long middle fingers, which are used to get the insetcs from out of the ground. The animal also has very big eyers which is crucial for them, as echos are their primar form of communication.
Aye Aye
Elephant Seal
Elephant Seals are extraordinary animals. This seal form have massive noses and no ears. Their primary form of communication and to find their way around is through their nose. In the 19th Century, Elephant Seals nearly got exterminated, however luckily the number of Elephant Seals around the world, doubled again.
Elephant Seal
Red Lipped Batfish
The red lipped bat fish is also known under the name Galapagos fish and is found on the Galápagos Islands. The fish got his name due to his red lips, that are already seen from. The red lipped bat fish mostly eats small fish and small sea animals like shrimps and crabs.
Red Lipped Batfish