Why ligers are infertile?

Ligers are infertile due to a phenomenon known as hybrid sterility. Hybrid sterility occurs when two different species mate and the offspring is unable to produce viable offspring of its own. This is a common occurrence in interspecies hybrids, such as ligers, which are the result of mating a male lion with a female tiger.

The genetic makeup of ligers is complex, as they inherit traits from both lions and tigers. This can lead to conflicts in the development of their reproductive organs, resulting in infertility. Additionally, the chromosome numbers of lions and tigers are different, which can further disrupt the proper functioning of the reproductive system.

Another factor contributing to the infertility of ligers is the lack of genetic diversity within the hybrid population. Ligers are often the result of single mating events between lions and tigers, rather than a continuous breeding program. This means that there is a limited pool of genetic variation within the liger population, which can reduce their chances of producing fertile offspring.

While there have been rare instances of fertile ligers, these cases are highly unusual and the vast majority of ligers are infertile. This infertility is a natural phenomenon that prevents the interbreeding of different species and helps maintain the genetic integrity of each species.