#25. Coyote
As you know, Coyotes are closely related to both Wolves and Dogs, so there is no doubt that they're a cross between both species. But how did this happen?
The answer in simple: back in the days, there weren't as many dogs and wolves and both species were much more similar to one another. Therefore, crossbreeds between both animals were quite common, engendering a whole new species.
#24. Killer Bees
As we know, when compared to wasps, bees are usually much calmer and will mind their own beeswax, at least as long as you try to mess with their hive or with their Queen!
However, during the 1950s, scientists decided to make a crossbreed of different types of bees in order to get more honey production. They bred the Honey Bee with the African Bee, resulting in the Killer Bees! While these insects make more honey, they are also way more hostile!
#23. Human-Pig Hybrids
We know how bad this sounds, and we want to stop you right there. It's not what you think! Scientists from the Salk Institute in California have been working on developing a "chimera", an artificial mix of human and pig genetics. However, this "hybrid" is not meant to be developed beyond the embryo stage.
The whole point is to create organs with lower rejection rate on the receiving body. While there is some logic behind this research, the whole experiment is ethically dubious, which is why it's not receiving public funding.
#22. Red-Grey Kangaroo
As you can imagine by the name, the Red Grey Kangaroo is a mix between the regular Red Kangaroo and the Great Grey Kangaroo. Despite both being classified as kangaroos, the species are not as closely related as you might think; therefore, these hybrids are not a common occurrence
In fact, most successful hybrids were the result of human intervention, as these kangaroos don't tend to interact on their own.
#21. Rhino Hybrid
Just like the aforementioned kangaroos, the Black Rhino and White Rhino are, in fact, two different species. What usually stops them from interbreeding is the lack of a common habitat, which is quickly fixed with human intervention.
As all species of rhino are endangered, whichever way they breed is always good news.
#20. Blood Parrot Cichlid
Despite the misleading name, this animal is a fish. More specifically, it's hybrid of the Midas and the Redhead Cichlid. Despite the beautiful colors, this creature has a sad problem...
Its mouth is not big enough, so it cannot feed itself properly. So even though they look beautiful and elegant, their beauty comes with a high price. On top of that, they generally don't live long enough to leave offspring behind.
#19. Mule
You've probably heard of this animal before, right? The Mule is, of course, the result of a Horse and a Donkey mating. Even though they belong to different species, they are close enough to interbreed. In fact, the mule is the textbook example of how cross-breeding works!
However, the mule is unable to make offspring, so if you want more mules, you have to keep on breeding horses with donkeys.
#18. Mulard
Once again, we have an animal that is a hybrid of two seemingly-similar animals, but which aren't quite the same. In this case, the Mulard duck is a mix of the Pekin duck and the Muscovy duck.
These duck species are bred in captivity, as they don't live in the same habitat. Sadly, these ducks are bred for meat production, as the hybrid is larger and therefore yields more meat per animal.
#17. Dzo
Just like the Mulard duck, this animal is also the result of human intervention. The Dzo is a hybrid often bred in Tibet and Mongolia, not only because it produces higher-quality milk and meat, but also because they are stronger than the Cow and the Yak, its two parents.
In these areas, strong animals are required to carry the heavy loads that farmers often need to transport.
#16. Hinny
Just like the Mule is the result of a male Donkey mating with a female horse, the opposite can be said for the Hinny, which is the offspring of a female donkey and a male horse.
While hinnies are notably smaller, at the same time they have stronger legs and a more robust and sturdy complexion. Scientists speculate that this drastic size difference is because female donkeys have much smaller wombs than female horses.
#15. Beefalo
The Beefalo is a perplexing creature, as it's a perfect, middle-ground combination of a Cow and a Buffalo. It can easily trick the eye into thinking it's either of them.
On a close look, though, it's noticeable larger than a cow, and also less detrimental to the environment. The interbreeding of these two animals was encouraged by farmers because they give more meat.
#14. Wolfdog
Despite the quite uninspired name, this is a real animal. The Wolfdog is an obvious mix between a Dog and a Wolf which, as we learned a few entries ago, are very closely related, even if a few thousand years passed by.
However, nowadays, this kind of breeding only happens under supervised conditions, as the behavior of dogs and wolves have grown far too apart over the ages.
#13. Jaglion
As the name implies, the Jaglion is a mix between the Jaguar and the Lion. Seldom does this cross occur in nature, but it can happen if the animals are held in the same habitat. For example, this is what happened at the Bear Creek Sanctuary in Ontario, Canada.
Do keep in mind, however, that they are still as wild and wary as their parents, so while they are gorgeous to look at, you might want to refrain from getting too close.
#12. Narluga
As the name implies, Narlugas are a mix between Narwhal and Beluga whales. Similar to previously mentioned species, they only breed with each other under specific conditions to promote this cross-breed given that the number of belugas and narwhals have been dwindling due to climate change.
These shifting environmental conditions have pushed these species to share the same territories, thus facilitating their breeding.
#11. Cama
Believe it or not, this animal is the result of a Camel breeding with a Llama. What's most surprising is that they live in entirely different parts of the world, yet they can safely breed offspring because they share similar genetic data.
The result is called a Cama, and it's a fun-looking combination of the two parent animals. Camas are also able to adapt to very diverse environments.
#10. Blacktip shark
Just as the Narlugas, the Blacktip shark is also a result of two species sharing the same environment as a result of climate change. In this case, the parents were rather genetically close already, one being the Common Blacktip Shark, and the other being the Australian Blacktip Shark.
> “To find a wild hybrid animal is unusual. To find 57 hybrids along 2,000 km of coastline is unprecedented”, a scientist wrote in Conservation Genetics.
#9. Geep
It sounds like a car, but don't worry, the Geep is not a result of scientists mixing sheep with vehicles! It's simply the interbreeding of a Sheep and a Goat. The first of its kind was bred in the Scottsdale Zoo, in Arizona. Named "Butterfly", this creature is part of the petting zoo section.
There are claims that this specimen presents dwarfism and an odd coat on its body, so there is some skepticism about breeding this kind of animal in the future.
#8. Zorse
Let's come back to horses! Did you know they're able to mate with zebras as well? As they share the same genus, the two creatures can breed, although complications such as dwarfism may arise.
The end result of this union is called a Zorse, and their most distinctive characteristic is a mix of the striped pattern of the Zebra with the usual flat coat of a Horse.
#7. Leopon
Just as the Jaglion is a mix of Lions and Jaguars, the Leopon is a mix of a female Lion and a male Leopard. Leopards, as it happens, CAN breed with other large felines, though seldom does this happen, mainly because both species don't usually live in the same environment.
The existing hybrids of this combination were born in captivity, and while there are rumors that it has happened in nature too, there are no concrete proofs of these claims.
#6. Pizzly Bear
There are all kinds of bears in the wild, and some of them do share territory, so hybrids are a more common occurence when it comes to this animal. But the Pizzly bear is an rarer sight, as their parents are Grizzly bears and... Polar bears!
As a result of climate change, polar bears are running out of cold areas to live in, so they've started drifting south, wherein the Grizzly bears rule the land. As a result of this, they've started breeding with each other.
#5. Liger
One of the most popular hybrids in recent years, the Liger is the result of a male Tiger and a female Lion. Because of the lack of shared habitats, this cross-breed only happens in captivity, and lions are surprisingly larger than both its parents!
This condition is called "hybrid gigantism". This, however, presents troubles for the animal: while they can weigh up to 1,200 lbs, their body cannot support so much mass.
#4. Savannah Cat
The Savannah Cat is the result of breeding a domestic cat with a feline species that can only be found in the African Sahara: The Serval.
The Serval, while larger than a cat, is still only a bit over 80 cm in length. Ironically, the resulting offspring has been reported to have a very dog-like behavior: they like to play, run around, fetch things, and be petted. How crazy is that?
#3. Wholphin
Whales and Dolphins are much more closely related than what it seems, and the wholphin specific breed is the combination of the Common Bottlenose Dolphin and the False Killer Whale (which, despite its name, is actually a kind of porpoise).
The Sea Life Park of Hawaii has one example of this breed, and they are humongous, let me tell you that!
#2. Tigon
Just like the Liger is a mix of a female Tiger and a male Lion, the Tigon is the offspring of a female Lion and a male Tiger. However, this creature does not suffer from gigantism.
Additionally, the appearance tends to lean to either parent, instead of being a solid mix of both. For example, some Tigon offspring have more prominent stripes, while others develop a mane as it grows of age.
#1. Zonkey
We've seen Horse-Donkey hybrids, and we've seen Horse-Zebra combinations. So, you were probably were wondering... can Zebras and Donkeys breed then? The answer is YES, and it's called a Zonkey! And of course, they don't share habitats, so these conditions are only met during captivity.
Just like the Zorse, the Zonkey will have an appearance that is a solid mix of its parents. The sad news is that they cannot produce offspring of its own.