Liger's are a hybrid because a Lion and a Tiger aren't the same species. Most hybrids are sterile. A Liger is not an animal you will find in nature, it's one found in captivity.
Lions and Tigers are subspecies of a larger genus and have some similar characteristics but not completely the same. They are similar enough and have enough DNA in common to produce offspring with each other, but not enough for the offspring to be fertile and be able to produce viable offspring on their own independently. It is actually one of the things we often use to classify animals and species and subspecies.
If the lion and the tiger could produce viable offspring that was able to reproduce on their own and produce viable offspring that could reproduce and that offspring shared same characteristics and genetics they would be the same species and the offspring they produced would not actually be hybrids.
www.absoluteastronomy.com
www.liger.org
animals.about.com bigcats.tripod.com
www.shambala.org
Lions and Tigers are subspecies of a larger genus and have some similar characteristics but not completely the same. They are similar enough and have enough DNA in common to produce offspring with each other, but not enough for the offspring to be fertile and be able to produce viable offspring on their own independently. It is actually one of the things we often use to classify animals and species and subspecies.
If the lion and the tiger could produce viable offspring that was able to reproduce on their own and produce viable offspring that could reproduce and that offspring shared same characteristics and genetics they would be the same species and the offspring they produced would not actually be hybrids.
www.absoluteastronomy.com
www.liger.org
animals.about.com bigcats.tripod.com
www.shambala.org