The Rarest Cross-Breed Animals From Around the World

1. Liger

(Image/ Source: The Sun)

Fans of the movie ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ will be pleased with this one. A liger is a cross between a male lion and a female tiger, and they can grow to absolutely huge proportions! The biggest liger in the world is Hercules, who weighs over 410 kg. Ligers can only be found in captivity (because humans have decided to breed lions and tigers), but this can be a bit of a problem considering they grow so large. Liger can often end up obese if they don’t have enclosures big enough for them to run around in.

2. Tigon

(Image/ Source: hospitalveterinariglories.com)

Tigons, also known as tiglons, are the opposite of ligers, as they’re a cross between a female lion and a male tiger. They tend to show characteristics from both parents, as they have spots from their moms and stripes from their dads. Tigons are generally much rarer than ligers; this is because female lions and male tigers aren't good that good at identifying the other species' mating signals. This rarity is also down to the fact that genetic material from female lions and male tigers doesn’t match up all that well. They also happen to be much smaller than ligers.

3. Zonkey

(Image/ Source: reddit.com)

In case you hadn’t guessed already, a zonkey is a hybrid of a donkey and a zebra. They were carefully crossbred in captivity, and have characteristics from both parents. Zonkeys will typically resemble a donkey in shades of gray or brown, and have distinctive stripes across their legs. Some zonkeys have more of a pronounced face shape that resembles a zebra, while others have more donkey-like facial features. They can’t produce offspring of their own, so often live out their days as novelty animals in zoos and sanctuaries.

4. Jaglion

(Image/ Source: pinterest.com)

Jaglions are a cross between a male jaguar and a female lion. They are incredibly rare; in fact, there have only ever been two in the world! The two jaglions in existence are called Jahzara and Tsunami, who were born in Ontario, Canada at Bear Creek Wildlife Sanctuary. The zoo claims that these two rare cats were born unexpectedly, as they hadn’t crossbred any animals or allowed any of them to naturally breed. But their parents, Diablo (the jaguar) and Lola (the lion) had a close bond, and were kept in an enclosure together. The jaglions were born in 2006, but Tsunami has now unfortunately passed away.

5. Geep

(Image/ Source: today.com)

Geep might not be as rare as jaglions, but they’re definitely not an animal you see every day! Geep are a mix of goats and sheep, but many of them don’t survive birth. This is because their genetic mix doesn’t work well together, as goats have 60 chromosomes and sheep have 54.  However, there are still a few geep out there, and they can be often pictured in the news when a new one has been born – just like this little cutie, who’s currently stealing hearts everywhere. You’ll find this one at My Petting Zoo in Scottsdale, Arizona.

6. Grolar bear

(Image/ Source: byjus.com)

Grolar bears, also known as pizzly bears, didn’t come into known existence until 2006. As the polar regions continue to get warmer, polar bears are coming into new territories in their search for food. Polar bears normally hunt out on sea ice, but as the sea ice is now melting, these bears are reaching lower latitudes. This means that polar bears and grizzly bears have come across each other a few times now – and there have been some hybrid bears spotted in the wild. Polar and grizzly bears have matching chromosomes, which means they can breed more easily than other hybrid animals.

7. Coywolf

(Image/ Source: Grand View Outdoors)

Did you know that coyotes and eastern wolves only diverged about 150-300,000 years ago? They’re closely matched DNA-wise, so it’s no huge surprise that the two can produce offspring. Coywolves have been spotted across eastern North America (from southern Canada to the state of Virginia) since 1969, and are much bigger than your average coyote. For years, scientists thought they were some new breed of wolf, but after closer observations, discovered they were a natural hybrid. The coywolf is now an officially recognized species of canine in North America.

8. Savannah Cat

(Image/Source: 24-7pressrelease.com)

Savannah cats aren’t super rare these days, but they’re certainly not your everyday feline! This breed of cat was created in the late 20th

century, and is a cross between a domestic cat and a serval (a wild cat that’s usually found in Africa). This means that the savannah cat has super strong hunting instincts, but that doesn’t stop people from having them as pets. They have characteristically large ears and a lean body like the serval, but they can be surprisingly affectionate with their owners.

9. Zebroid

(Image/ Source: reddit.com)

If you’ve heard the name ‘zebroid’ before, you might already know that this refers to zebra hybrids. Some people use the term ‘zorse’ for the babies of a zebra stallion and mare horse, but the terms can sometimes be used interchangeably, which can sometimes cause confusion! Zebroids are typically a cross breed between a zebra and a horse, and were created back in the 20th

century to bring more tourists to zoos. While they still inherit the classic zebra stripes, they are usually brown and cream.

10. Beefalo

(Image/ Source: americanbeefaloassociation.com)

While you might think this is a cross between a cow and a buffalo, these hybrids are actually a mix of a cow and an American bison. Beefalos are classified as a domesticated species, and were developed on an intense breeding program by the meat industry in the US. There were plans to use this breed as a new kind of beef, but this went south when a lot of the beefalo escaped their enclosures. Back in 2015, they caused havoc in the Grand Canyon; they destroyed the land and watering holes, which meant that most of them were eventually culled.

11. Wholphin

(Image/ Source: fanon.fandom.com)

Yep – whale/dolphin hybrids actually exist. They are a cross between a male false killer whale and a female bottlenose dolphin, which actually come from the same family of animals. That being said, these crossbreeds are still super rare. One was created at Hawaii’s Sea Life Park back in 1985, which was named Kekaimalu. She still lives at the marine mammal park. However, scientists have recently started getting excited about another potential wholphin, as they’ve spotted something that resembles a hybrid between a melon-headed whale and a rough-toothed dolphin. Watch this space.

12. Hinny

(Image/ Source: East Coast Equestrian)

A hinny is a cross between a female donkey and a male horse. They’re a little bit smaller than your average mule, but a lot less common of course! Hinnies are usually sterile, so they won’t be able to breed themselves, but they’re still created as they’re stronger, tougher, and adapt to climates better than mules do. They’re also less likely to develop colic, so they’re often used for a lot of farm work and racing. Hinnies tend to have a more horse-like head than mules, and have smaller ears too. But for the most part, they’re pretty much identical.

13. Cama

(Image/ Source: wild-facts.com)

A cama is a cross breed of a camel and a lama. One was originally created through artificial insemination at the Camel Reproduction Centre in Dubai in 1998. While Dubai had big plans to use their fur (they essentially wanted an animal that was able to yield much more wool than a lama) as well as using them as pack animals for farming and tourism, only five camas were ever made. While the animals had similar genetic makeups, the only way to get them to produce was through artificial insemination, which was deemed too costly.

14. Leopon

(Image/ Source: nedhardy.com)

You’d be forgiven for thinking that a leopon is some sort of Pokemon, but they are in fact a hybrid of a male leopard and a female lion. Leopons have only ever been bred in captivity, and they were developed in modern zoos in the early 20th

century. However, these early experiments in cross-breeding didn’t go well; all of the baby leopons died after birth. It was only in 1910 that the first official record of two leopons were documented in India, and while one of them passed away in infancy, the other was quickly sent to London Zoo.

15. Dzo

(Image/ Source: UNM CS)

Say hello to the dzo – a cross between a cow and a wild yak. They’re actually quite common in Mongolia and Tibet, as they are prized both for their milk and meat. Dzos also happen to be much stronger and larger than cows and yaks, so it’s believed that these hybrids have the best characteristics from each of their parent species. However, it’s not all positive for the dzos; unfortunately, scientists are under the impression that this animal breed has contaminated genes, so it’s not a good idea to breed them anymore.

16. Mulard

(Image/ Source: reddit.com)

Mulards are another cross breed that has been developed for food. They are a mix of a mallard duck and a Muscovy duck, and are unable to produce their own offspring (like a lot of hybrid animals). Mulards are big in the meat industry; they’re usually fat and plump, and are prized for their dark, rich meat. This means that they’re super popular with foie gras producers. In fact, these ducks actually make up nearly all the foie gras produced around the world! They are typically found in Europe and the US, as well as parts of Asia.

17. Narluga

(Image/ Source: Fact Animal)

Meet the adorable cross breed of a narwhal and a beluga whale. While these animals are extremely rare, there have been a fair few sightings of them across the North Atlantic in recent years. They were first discovered in the wild in the late 1980s when an Inuit killed three strange-looking whales off the western coast of Greenland. Since then, their numbers are increasing (which shows they can produce offspring of their own) and scientists are quickly trying to analyze their DNA to learn more about them.

18. Zubron

(Image/ Source: earth.com)

A zubron is a mix of a cow and a European bison – so it’s not too different from a beefalo. These animals were also created by the meat industry back in 1969, as they are thought to be tougher and stronger than cattle. They also appear to be more resistant to diseases. The name came about after a Polish magazine held a contest for what the cross breed should be called, and the name zubron quickly won. While these animals were thought to be a potential replacement for cattle, there’s only a teeny tiny herd left in Poland at Bialowieski National Park.

19. Sturddlefish

(Image/ Source: World Sturgeon Conservation Society)

Part American paddlefish, part Russian sturgeon, the species was bred ‘accidentally’ in a lab in Hungary. Both these species are critically endangered, so scientists were examining these species and attempting to create breeding programs. However, it seems that there was some cross-contamination, and the lab ended up with a new hybrid fish that can’t actually breed by itself. Scientists are still observing the sturddlefish, and will be publishing their findings on this new species in due course.

20. Green sea slug

(Image/ Source: wired.com)

This is a bit of a strange one. While all the other hybrids we’ve covered have been born from two animals, the green sea slug is a little different. It’s actually part slug, part plant, and uses genetic material from green algae to feed into its own DNA! This means the green sea slug can eat in two different ways; it can either consume food like a slug would, or produce its own nutrients through photosynthesis. Scientists are currently carrying out more research to find out how this slug came into existence.

21. Pumapard

(Image/ Source: nedhardy.com)

Pumapards aren’t around today, but they’re an example of yet another big cat cross breed. A mix between a puma and a leopard, these animals were smaller than both their parent species, as they ended up with dwarfism (which is why it’s not always a good idea to cross-breed animals). Two were created in the 1800s in Chicago by a German guy called Carl Hagenbeck, who had created a LOT of hybrid cat breeds over the years. But these pumapards didn’t behave normally; they lashed out at every opportunity, and exhibited so much destructive behavior that they were never created again.

22. Boar-pig hybrid

(Image/ Source: The Telegraph)

These boar-pig hybrids are a cross between Eurasian wild boars and domestic pigs. Some have gone as far as to call them ‘super pigs’ because of their ability to cause destruction, spread disease, and even kill deer and elk. There are fair few different cross breeds of boar pigs across the world; some have bred naturally, while others have been created in captivity. There are a fair few of these currently ripping up wildlife across the US and Canada, and are becoming increasingly difficult to get rid of.

23. Motty

(Image/ Source: cryptidarchives.fandom.com)

Motty is the only recorded hybrid Elephant in history. He was born in 1978 at Chester Zoo in the UK to a female Asian elephant and a male African elephant, but only lived for eleven days. It was generally thought that Asian elephants and African elephants wouldn’t be able to breed because of their genetic differences, so it was quite a surprise when Sheba the Asian elephant became pregnant. Motty seemed in good general health at first, but his autopsy found that he had a weakened immune system, which was weakened by his hybrid genetics and premature birth.

24. Wolfdog

(Image/ Source: BuzzFeed)

As you may imagine, a wolfdog is a cross between a wild wolf and a domestic dog. However, the term is also used to describe a domesticated dog that has more recent wolf ancestry. Because these two species share so much genetic material, they can breed fairly easily, and their offspring can too. And while wolfdog breeding is much more common in captivity, it can still be achieved in the wild. But the likelihood of this happening is fairly slim. This is because both wolves and dogs are territorial and protect their homes.

25. Chausie

(Image/ Source: Rare and Exotic Feline Registry)

Chausie cats were created by crossing the domestic cat with a select few species of jungle cat, which was intended to boost domestic cat numbers. They’re a relatively new species for the US, and were recognized by The International Cat Association in 1995. However, these cats actually have an ancient history, and existed in Egypt thousands of years ago. Chausie cats are super playful, and need a lot of stimulation and company to keep them occupied. They’re also actually pretty good with dogs, so make an ideal cat if you have a big family with pets.

26. Yakolo

(Image/ Source: hobbyfarms.com)

Not too different from dzos, yakolos are a hybrid of a yak and an American bison. However, there are no yakolos around today; they were created as an experiment back in the 1920s. Yak breeders in Alberta wanted to see if they could create a species that was stronger and tougher than both yaks and bisons, so they crossed yak bulls with pure bison cows. Apparently these hybrids made great meat, but only the female hybrids could produce offspring; this meant that farmers couldn’t make as much money from them, which probably explains why they quickly died out.

27. Iron age pig

(Image/ Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Similar to a boar-pig hybrid, this animal is a cross between a wild boar and a Tamworth sow. These pigs are a lot less destructive than their cousins though. Iron-age pigs get their name from the fact that they were created in the iron age, so they’re pretty ancient creatures. While nobody knows for certain why these pigs were cross bred, it’s thought that they were created as a gesture to the gods. These pigs still have modern appeal though; they are highly prized for their dark, distinctive meat, and are used in specialty meat products across the globe.

28. Game bird hybrids

(Image/ Source: BackYard Chickens)

There are too many game bird hybrids to count; pheasants and chickens, turkeys and pheasants, as well as Canada geese (who have mated with just about every other type of geese there is!). This is because birds can mate a lot more easily across species lines than mammals can. Game bird cross breeds have occurred in the wild, but a lot of domestic cross breeds have only come into existence through human intervention. You might be able to see some ancient hybrids at your local natural history museum.

29. Toyger

(Image/ Sourcee: pinterest.com)

Toyger cats are a cross between a Bengal cat and a tiger cat. While they’re not as rare as the likes of the wholphin or jaglions, they aren’t exactly common. These cats are what you might call a ‘designer’ breed; they were created back in 1980 so owners could get themselves a cat that looks something like a miniature tiger. However, Judy Sugden, the woman behind the breeding of these cats, says that there were other motivations for creating this cross breed; she also hoped that cat lovers would be more mindful of stopping the extinction of big cats in the wild.

30. Cheetoh

(Image/ Source: Hepper)

Yep – you can officially get yourself a cat named after your favorite chips. Cheetohs are another Bengal cat hybrid – this time they’re crossed with an ocicat. They were only created back in 2001, and there’s already a pretty high demand for these cats as pets. A breeder essentially wanted to create a domestic cat that had all the physical features of a wild cat (i.e. a cheetah), so they’re not too dissimilar from toygers. Cheetohs are actually one the biggest breeds of domestic cats around, but that doesn’t stop them from being excellent pets; they’re super gentle and affectionate. It’s hard work to find one though, as they’re still pretty rare right now.

31. The Tiliger

image source: The Liger

This has to be one of the rarest seeing as it's a triple-breed rather than just two! This animal is actually a cross between a tiger and the cross-breed of a liger (lion/tiger). So you get twice the tiger for the price of one lion! It's very, very rare to even come close to seeing one of these animals, as there are only between 6 and 10 across the whole world!

32. The world's rarest animals you've never seen: the elephant shrew

image source: The Times

And it's not just weird crossbreeds that are rare across the world - there are a ton of rare animals you probably didn't even know about, either! Including the adorable elephant shrew. You might be wondering why they're named after elephants when they have a body of a shrew and the head similar to an anteater, but it's another one of those great name mysteries!

33. The Yangtze Finless Porpoise

image source: bestlifeonline.com

Luckily, this rare porpoise breed still has front fins to be able to swim, even if it doesn't have a dorsal fin on top! This creature hails from the longest river in Asia, where once there were two species: the Baiji dolphin and the finless porpoise. Due to environmental changes, the dolphin went extinct and the finless porpoise was the only breed left from this area.

34. The Hainan Gibbon

image source: BBC Wildlife Magazine

There are a lot of apes on this planet, but this one is one of the rarest of all. There used to be around 5,000 of this particular breed of gibbon, but these days, their numbers have hugely dwindled and they're very near extinct. There are only around 35 of these gibbons left, and they're all being protected on the same nature reserve in China - on Hainan Island.

35. Vaquita

image source: bestlifeonline.com

This is actually the world's rarest marine animals, and you might never have seen that face before! While its body resembles a lot of marine life, its face is rather unique. It was first discovered in the 50s and is now close to being extinct. It's most recognizable for the dark rings around its eyes, as well as its dark fins. The reason its numbers have reduced is due to illegal fishing practices seeing the vaquita caught in nets.

36. Saola

image source: bestlifeonline.com

Found in Vietnam, this rare mammal was only discovered in the early 90s, and you can see what makes it more unique and recognizable through its coat patterns and the coloring on its antlers. Some people call this mammal the 'Asian unicorn', despite the fact it still has two separate horns and not one! Turned the right way, though, the straightness of those antlers can give the illusion it's just one.

37. Hector's Dolphins

image source: Canterbury Trails Reservations

Another extremely rare marine mammal is Hector's dolphin, which also happen to be the smallest of marine mammals in the whole world. They can be recognized by those very short bodies, as well as those facial patterns that go from dark to light. You can find this species of dolphin on the North Island of New Zealand, and there are around 7,000 of them in existence.

38. Borneo Pygmy Elephant

image source: bestlifeonline.com

Elephants themselves are certainly well known, but the Borneo pygmy elephant is one breed you might never have seen or heard of before. They're known for being very gentle compared to the more well known (and bigger) Asian elephan. The pygmy elephant is also recognizable for having a very long tail that's too long for its small body, so drags on the floor!

39. Black-Spotted Cuscus

image source: Palm Oil Detectives

The appearance of this rare animal can be a little unnerving to some due to its vertical slits on wide, bulbous eyes, and a powerful pair of front claws. You can only find this rare animal in New Guinea, and though it might sound like a salad dish you'd have for lunch, its name comes from the black and white markings on its fur. They're also close to extinction due to hunting and deforestation.

40. The Purple Frog

image source: The Wire

There are many frogs in the world, but the reason you might never have seen this one before is because it spends most of its time underground rather than your back garden. It only comes out to breed - understandable - and this frog is native to India, unfortunately also faced with extinction due to their natural habitats being constantly threatened.

41. The Sumatran Rhino

image source: bestlifeonline.com

At first glance you might be thinking there's nothing you haven't seen before when it comes to a rhino here, but this particularly breed is very rare for a few reasons. It's actually the smallest species of rhino in the world, and it's the only breed of Asian rhino that has two horns instead of one. They are now only found in Indonesia, on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo.

42. The Hispaniolan Solendon

image source: bestlifeonline.com

This little mammal may look adorable, but don't be fooled - it can actually produce venom! This animal is closely related to the shrew, which you can see in its appearance, but is a very rare breed that has faced threats over the years through rats and other predators being introduced to its home region. It also has a very low reproduction rate which means it's close to extinction.

43. Hooded Grebe

image source: bestlifeonline.com

This distinctive bird (not least because of its red laser eyes!) was discovered back in the 70s, both in Argentina and Chile, but there are now only a few of them left, making them very rare indeed. Both predators and climate change have meant their numbers have decreased by a whopping 98% over the years, and there are only around 800 of them left in the world.

44. The Philippine Eagle

image source:MongaBay

This bird is definitely hair goals, and it's also very rare to see those beautiful feathers in person. It's also known as the 'monkey-eating eagle', which, as you can imagine, is down to the fact it's a very talented bird of prey - preying on monkeys, snakes and lizards. Despite it's rarity and low numbers, it's known as the National Bird of the Philippines.

45. Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth

image source: Ted Ideas

Sloths are adorable, aren't they, but you might not have seen this particular breed of adorable before! Sloths are already known for being slow, but this one is a small-sized pygmy sloth with only three toes to move it along. It can only be found on an island off Panama. They stay in their homes all the time except if they need to use the bathroom!

46. Seychelles Sheath-Tailed Bat

image source: bestlifeonline.com

This rare breed of bat is named after the 'cape' of skin it has on its back. This skin can be made longer or shorter depending on what the bat needs for an easy flight! And as the name rightly suggests, it was once only found on the Seychelles Islands. Their numbers have seriously decreased due to their homes being destroyed to make way for plantations.

47. Colombian Dwarf Gecko

image source: reddit.com

Look how tiny he is! Even if you did come across one of these rare creatures, you likely wouldn't see it - and let's hope you accidentally don't step on it... It only reaches 2cm in full length, and is native to Colombia. They were actually believed to be around when the dinosaurs existed, too. Unfortunately, they are now near extinction, due to only one or two sightings these days.

48. The Banded Ground Cuckoo

image source: bestlifeonline.com

When you think of a cuckoo you might not think of a bird looking like this. This species is native to Ecuador, and there are very few sightings of it. It can be recognized due to the blue skin that's around both of its eyes, which can actually go bigger or smaller. The reason the bird has decreased in number over the years is due to deforestation, and they are now one of the rarest birds in the region.

49. The Largetooth Sawfish

image source: wikipedia

You wouldn't want to be approached by one of these under the water, would you? Luckily, due to their extreme rarity, it's very unlikely you would be! The sawfish can reach a huge length of six feet, and of course you'll recognize it for its chainsaw-like bill. Unfortunately, that huge row of teeth means they very easily catch in fishing nets and get stuck, which is one of the reasons their numbers are at risk.

50. The Chacoan Peccary

image source: bestlifeonline.com

It sort of looks like a pig, but it has a longer snout... and fur? Yes this is the rare Chacoan peccary, which is a pig-like mammal with very bristly fur. It was once believed to be a completely extinct breed before a new population of them was found in Paraguay. Despite that, it is still at risk of extinction because of losing its natural habitat, and the threat of certain diseases.