Oklahoma Zoo Home to America's First 'Liligers'
The liliger cubs are three-quarters lion, one-quarter tiger.
Dec. 26, 2013— -- If ligers aren't exotic enough for you, meet the liliger. The Garold Wayne Interactive Zoological Park in Wynnewood, Okla., is home to the country's first liliger cubs, the hybrid offspring of a male lion named Simba and a female liger named Akaria.
The entertainment director at the zoo, who goes by the name "Joe Exotic," said that Akaria gave birth to three female cubs around Thanksgiving. "They were actually born during a storm, so we had to remove them from mom to keep them alive," he told ABC News.
He knows that it's difficult for a liger to breed but not impossible. "For 30 years since the liger has been in existence, everyone thought they were sterile," he said. "But we paired a baby liger and a baby white tiger male six years ago and came up with the first tiliger. That proved female ligers weren't sterile."
The zoo plans for the cubs to have their own exhibit. "They will be ready for public view just shortly after the first [of January]," said the entertainment director. "For now, they're currently living in my house."