We all know that lions and tigers are majestic and powerful big cats - but did you know that the two can breed? This wouldn’t happen in the wild because their habitats don’t overlap and they have very different behaviours (tigers, for example, are solitary while lions live in social groups called prides), but in captivity there have been instances of the two having cubs together. Here are seven interesting facts about tigons. 

1. Tigons have a tiger dad and a lion mum

The cubs of a lion and tiger are only called tigons if the father is a tiger and the mother is a lioness. If the father is a lion and the mother is a tigress, the cubs are called ligers. 
 

2. Tigons are only born in captivity

Tigons and ligers are only ever born in captivity. There is only a small lion population in the Gir Forest Reserve in northern India; the rest live in Africa. Tigers, meanwhile, don’t live in the Reserve at all, instead roaming other parts of India, China and the Russian Far East. As such they never cross paths in the wild and don’t breed. 

There is no conservational advantage to tigons being born in captivity, so many zoos and wildlife parks don’t do so; those that do breed them mostly do so to attract visitors or to make money. 
 

3. Tigons get features from both parents

Because tigons are a mix of both lions and tigers, they can display features of both parents. They might have a more golden colour to their fur like their mother as well as stripes from their father. If a male tigon grows a mane, it is usually shorter and less dense than a lion’s mane. 

4. Tigons can be unpredictable

Tigons inherit conflicting instincts from their mother and father, meaning they can have the urge to form social bonds as well as the urge to remain solitary. This can result in unpredictable behaviour. As cubs, they can enjoy interacting with others, but as they grow they may have more complex social needs.
 

5. Tigons are typically smaller than tigers

Tigons usually don’t grow as large as their tiger dads, measuring up to 2.7 metres in length and weighing up to around 180kg. By comparison, adult male Bengal tigers can weigh in excess of 227kg and can reach three metres in length. 
 

6. There are less than 100 tigons

Since tigons are only ever bred in captivity, there are very few in existence. Most conservationists believe that breeding them is unethical, and many are born with health problems. As such, fewer than 100 are thought to exist around the world. 

7. Tigons are banned in Taiwan

The crossbreeding of lions and tigers is banned on the island of Taiwan, meaning that tigons and ligers are illegal. The ban is part of the country’s Wildlife Conservation Law and is designed to protect animals from unethical breeding. 

Have tea with a tiger

If you are looking for things to do with kids, don’t miss the stage production of Judith Kerr’s The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Suitable for children aged three and up, it’s one of the best family fun things to do this season. The show is currently playing at Finchley Artsdepot and a new UK tour begins in February 2026. Search ‘things to do with kids near me’ and book via your local venue.