7 Incredible Hybrid Creatures That Seem Unreal Yet Are Genuinely Real

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If you’ve never encountered a zebroid, you might doubt your own eyes. However, this part zebra, part equine creature isn’t a figment of science fiction. Zebroids are hybrid animals, born from the union of two distinct species.

Continue reading to discover fascinating details about animal hybrids, including a list of rare hybrids that might surprise you.

What Is a Hybrid Animal?

Hybrid animals, often referred to as crossbreeds, result from the mating of two different or closely related species. As outlined in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal Welfare Act and Animal Welfare Regulations:

These hybrids can arise naturally, though they may also be the outcome of artificial insemination. Studies indicate that hybridization is relatively uncommon, occurring at a frequency of around 1 percent. However, some experts suggest this rate could be as high as 10 percent in certain cases.

Can Hybrid Animals Reproduce?

Although some hybrid combinations produce fertile offspring, most crossbreeds are typically unable to reproduce. This is due to genetic differences between the parent species, which can result in mismatched chromosomes and infertility in the offspring.

1. Grolar Bear or Pizzly Bear

Grolar bears result from the pairing of male grizzly bears and female polar bears, while pizzly bears are born from male polar bears and female grizzlies. These two species typically inhabit different environments, but climate change has brought them closer. Both grolar and pizzly bears can produce hybrid offspring.

2. Hinny or Mule

A hinny is produced when a female donkey mates with a male horse. Conversely, a mule is born from the union of a male donkey and a female horse.

3. Jaglion or Liguar

Jaglions are born from the pairing of a male jaguar and a female lion, while liguars result from a female jaguar and a male lion. In 2006, jaglion cubs were born in captivity, but due to the rarity of such hybrids, unaltered images are scarce, and none were available for this article.

3. Leopon

Leopons are the offspring of a male leopard and a female lion. They belong to the Panthera hybrid category, which includes crosses between any two Panthera species, such as jaguars, leopards, snow leopards, lions, and tigers. Due to their extreme rarity, no images of leopons were available.

4. Liger or Tigon

A liger is the hybrid of a male lion and a female tiger, a pairing that does not occur naturally due to the differing habitats of the two species. Conversely, a tigon results from the mating of a male tiger and a female lion.

5. Savannah Cat

Savannah cats are a hybrid breed, resulting from the crossbreeding of an African serval and a domestic cat. These lively felines inherit their long legs from their African serval ancestry.

6. Wholphin

Wholphins are born from the union of a male false killer whale and a female bottlenose dolphin. Both species belong to the dolphin family.

Although scientists lack extensive knowledge about false killer whales' social dynamics, they have observed that these whales form bonds with bottlenose dolphins.

7. Zonkey or Zebadonk

Zonkeys are hybrids resulting from the pairing of a male zebra and a female donkey, while zebadonks are born from a male donkey and a female zebra. Both donkeys and zebras are members of the horse family.