Are ligers actually real animals? Surprisingly they are. If you grew up in Utah, you might remember Shasta the Liger. Children in the 1950s and 1960s were lucky enough to see her in person; those in the 70s, 80s, and 90s, saw Shasta’s stuffed remains at the zoo.

In the 19th century, people became fascinated by hybrid animals, and the liger was one of the most popular. A liger is the result of the mating of a male lion and a female tiger.
Duncan1890/DigitalVisionVectors/via Getty Images
Back in 1948, Hogle Zoo was still quite small. It moved to its current location in Emigration Canyon in 1931, but it wasn't nearly as popular as it is today. On May 6th, Shasta the Liger was born, and the zoo immediately became famous.
Utah's Hogle Zoo/Facebook
People came from all over the world to see Shasta. While ligers had been bred and born overseas for years, Shasta was the first American cub, and she generated a lot of publicity.
Capuski/iStock/Getty Images Plus/via Getty Images
*This stock photo isn't Shasta - it's another liger that's currently living somewhere else in the world.
Shasta was just two pounds when she was born. She was bottle-fed for months while she grew to 30 pounds. An article in Life Magazine stated she loved to climb, and entertained visitors with her antics.
yanjf/iStock/Getty Images Plus/via Getty Images
*This stock photo isn't Shasta - it's another liger that's currently living somewhere else in the world.

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Shasta spent her entire life at Hogle Zoo and died at the age of 24 due to kidney failure. She still holds the record for the longest-living liger in captivity.
Justin Hirst/Google
After her death, she was sent to a taxidermist, and her body was on display at the zoo for decades.
Ben P L/flickr
Today, the idea of creating hybrid animals is out of vogue, and zoos focus on preserving species instead of creating spectacles. However, ligers are still born at American zoos... completely by accident.
W1zzard/iStock/Getty Plus Images/via Getty Images
Today, there are around 30 ligers in American Zoos; China has 20. Worldwide, there are around 100 ligers living in captivity.
In 1997, Shasta's body was removed from Hogle Zoo, due to the controversy of creating hybrids. She's now located at the Bean Life Science Museum on the campus of BYU, where you can still see her today.
Bean Life Science Museum/Google

The Hogle Zoo liger was the most famous liger in the United States because she was the first bred in captivity. Did you see Shasta the liger when she lived at Hogle Zoo? We’d love to hear your memories in the comments!

To see what animals call Hogle Zoo home, visit the zoo’s website, and make sure to follow its Facebook page, where you’ll find lots of ongoing events.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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More interesting facts about the liger

Chris Muras | December 26, 2022

How long did Shasta the liger live?

Shasta the liger holds the record for longest-living liger at 24 years. She was born on May 6 1948 and died on July 19, 1972. Her father was an African lion named Huey, and her mother was a Bengal Tiger named Daisy.

Are there any ligers in zoos?

Yes, there are a number of ligers in zoos throughout the world. The current number of ligers in the world is considered to be around 100 ligers. Since ligers are a human-bred creation the only known ligers are in captivity. Here are a few zoos that have or have had ligers in residence:

  • Shenzhen Wildlife Zoo, Shenzhen, China
  • Ainad Shrine Circus: Belleville, Illinois, USA
  • Pingtung Rescue Center, Tainan
  • King Richard’s Faire, Massachusetts, USA
  • Bloemfontein Zoo, South Africa
  • Canberra, National Zoo & Aquarium, Australia
  • Tripoli Zoo in Libya
  • Noah’s Lost Ark, Ohio, USA
  • Biliran Mini Zoo, Philippines

Can ligers happen naturally?

While technically ligers can happen naturally it would be extremely unlikely that a lion and a tiger would breed in the wild. Tigers and lions do not share the same habitat, other than in one specific part of the world - Gir Forest in India. Even in that one location where tiger and lion populations might overlap, there have been no recorded ligers even in Gir Forest.

Can ligers have babies?

Yes, liger hybrids can be fertile, meaning they can mate with other ligers, tigers, and lions. So ligers can have babies, which might create a problem should ligers enter the natural ecosystem, as two separate species should not be able to breed and have fertile offspring.

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