INTERESTING HYBRID ANIMALS

ZEBROID

Known by many other names such as zedonk, zorse, zebra mule,

 zonkey, and zebmule, the zebroid is the offspring of any

cross between a zebra and any other equine (horse, donkey

etc.). Bred since the 19th century, zebroids physically resemble

their non-zebra parent, but are striped like a zebra. Yet, the

stripes usually do not cover the whole body of the animal.

DZO

The dzo is a hybrid between yak and domestic cattle. The word

dzo technically refers to a male hybrid, while a female is

known as a dzomo. Dzomos are fertile while dzo are sterile.

As they are a product of the hybrid genetic phenomenon of 

heterosis (hybrid vigour), they are larger and stronger

than yak or cattle from the region.

GROLAR

The grolar is a rare hybrid between a grizzly and polar bear.

Although these two species are genetically similar and often

found in the same territories, they usually tend to avoid

each other and they have different breeding habits. Grizzlies

tend to live and breed on land while polar bears prefer breeding

on the ice. Yet, grolars have been recorded to occur

both in captivity and in the wild.

CAMA

The cama is a hybrid between a male dromedary camel and a

female llama, and has been produced via artificial insemination

 at the Camel Reproduction Centre in Dubai. The first cama was

born on January 14, 1998. The aim was to create an animal

capable of higher wool production than the llama, with the

size, strength and cooperative temperament of a camel.

WOLFDOG

These days, the wolfdog (full name is the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog)

is a new, officially recognized dog breed that traces its

original lineage to an experiment conducted in 1955 in former

Czechoslovakia. Here, German shepherds were crossed with

Carpathian wolves with the aim to create a breed that would have

the temperament, pack mentality, and trainability of the

German shepherd and the strength, physical build, and

stamina of the wolf.

WHOLPHIN

The wholphin is an extremely rare hybrid of a female common

bottlenose dolphin and a male false killer whale. The first

recorded wholphin was born in a Tokyo SeaWorld, but he died

after 200 days. The first wholphin in the US and the first to

survive was Kekaimalu, born at Sea Life Park in Hawaii in 1985. 

Wholphins have also been reported to exist in the wild but

they occur very rarely.

NARLUGA

The narluga is a very rare hybrid that is created by the interbreeding

of the narwhal, a medium-sized toothed whale, and the beluga

whale, an Arctic and sub-Arctic cetacean. Narlugas occur very rarely

but over the recent years, there has been an interesting

increase in sightings of these bizarre creatures in the

Northern Atlantic.

ZUBRON

Hybrids of domestic cattle and wisent, zubrons are heavy and

strong animals with males weighing up to 1,200 kg (2,600 lb).

The name zubron was chosen from hundreds of proposals

sent to the Polish weekly magazine Przekroj during a contest

organized in 1969. Males are infertile in the first generation

but females are fertile and can be crossbred with either

parent species.