Expert: Walter Hintz - 12/14/2005

Question
Hello,

I was recently reading an article about "Ligers" and noted that if the father is a lion, then it will result in the "Liger", but if the father is a tiger it will be a "Tigon". I was wondering how the father has more influence than the mother and why. Does this apply to all mammals but humans? If so, why? Thank you.

Answer
Hi Jade;
   The names tiger and lion do not have reference to the sex of the animal.  It is just a matter of using the first two letters of the animals name.  What else could you call them?
   By the way, Ligers and tigons do not occur in nature.  In nature they are not even in the same habitats.