Wholphins, Ligers, And Other Crazy Animals Hybrids (PHOTOS)

You've probably seen a hybrid in your time. The mule is a hybrid between the horse and a donkey. Plants and flowers are frequently mixed to create new, fantastic colors. But sometimes mixing up two species seems just plain wrong.

As a matter of fact, The New York Times reports that some biologists estimate that as many as 10 percent of animal species and up to 25 percent of plant species may occasionally breed with another species.

The result may sometimes be a distinct new species that is stronger or larger than the originals (like the terrifying prospect of a rock python and Burmese python in Florida) but often the hybrid is a genetic dead end, infertile and unable to reproduce.

We've rounded up some amazing examples of animals that have been bred in captivity, or have even found each other in the wild to produce a brand new animal.

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The Wholphin

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In May of 1985, it became abundantly clear that Punahele, a female dolphin at Hawaii Sea Life Park, had been doing more than just swimming with the false killer whale in her tank. She gave birth to Kekaimalu, a whale/dolphin hybrid that combined the traits of her 2000 pound father and 400 pound mother. While a dolphin has 44 teeth, and the false killer whale (which is also in the dolphin family) has 88, Kekaimalu has 66. Unlike many animal hybrids, Kekaimalu is fertile and has given birth to three baby wholphins. One died in infancy, another died at nine years old. The third, Kawili Kai (pictured), was born in 2005 and is living in the park with her mom. A quarter false killer whale and three quarters dolphin, Kawili Kai was the size of a year old dolphin at only a few months.

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In May of 1985, it became abundantly clear that Punahele, a female dolphin at Hawaii Sea Life Park, had been doing more than just swimming with the false killer whale in her tank.

She gave birth to Kekaimalu, a whale/dolphin hybrid that combined the traits of her 2000 pound father and 400 pound mother. While a dolphin has 44 teeth, and the false killer whale (which is also in the dolphin family) has 88, Kekaimalu has 66.

Unlike many animal hybrids, Kekaimalu is fertile and has given birth to three baby wholphins. One died in infancy, another died at nine years old. The third, Kawili Kai (pictured), was born in 2005 and is living in the park with her mom. A quarter false killer whale and three quarters dolphin, Kawili Kai was the size of a year old dolphin at only a few months.

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Hybrid

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Totally Normal Crazy!

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Comments

[ballackitec]

04:17 AM on 11/14/2010

I think among all of these hybrids and many other hybrids, ligers have gain the maximum attention and maximum popularity. Moreover, a lot of research is done on ligers rather than any of these hybrids. Of course all of these hybrids are equal in valence but people have preferred ligers over others. Their news results are greater, their google search numbers are greater and they also lead in terms of numbers of websites as well. Another biggest fact is that the population of the ligers globally over the past 10 years have increased as well. Previously there were less than 10 ligers in the world. In 1972, there was only 1 liger in the world. Now in 2010, we have nearly 70 to 80 ligers. 30 alone in United States, 20 in China, 7 in Germany and 4 each in South African and Russia. Also they are present in Spain, France, England, Korea and Japan as well. These are some of the facts which clearly prove that ligers have gain maximum popularity and acceptance as compared to other hybrids.

Reference
http://www.ligerworld.com/population-of-ligers.html

Regards

Usman Masood

[Flatscreenface]

03:50 PM on 09/27/2010

A false killer whale is a type of dolphin, surely? SO it is not a whale/dolphin hybrid...even ignoring the fact that dolphins are a type of whale....

[RageGuy]

11:13 AM on 09/27/2010

Wholphins, wholphins, swimmin' in the ocean, causing a commotion. Wholphins are the Jedi of the sea...

[ncconcernedcitizen]

08:11 AM on 09/27/2010

Reminds me of the movie which had a hybrid piranha and flying fish. Not a good day at the beach.

[CommanderChe]

04:06 AM on 09/27/2010

I love these kinds of stories, I want a savannah cat NAO!!!

[Gavin Saunders]

08:49 AM on 09/27/2010

I think I had one and I swear she was part human too!

Incredibly affectionate (neck hugs and love nips), doglike displays when I'd arrive home, showed obvious jealously/rejection of me when I bought home a new kitten.

And talk about athletic..... she once almost caught a crow clear out of the air! We couldn't believe our eyes and I bet the crow was pretty shaken too.

My biggest regret was not buying her brother too. Amazing creature.

[adamsmith3]

02:42 AM on 09/27/2010

I want me a Zorse so bad. "God shmod, I want my monkey-man" -Bart Simpson

[Anastasia Giselle]

12:40 AM on 09/27/2010

Cool Hybrids....but I still feel like unless nature is taking its course....then this is kind of a bit much.

[caroline gray]

12:00 AM on 09/27/2010

the false killer whale is a dolphin, so that isn't a whale dolphin hybrid but a dolphin species mix.

[rjmtx]

12:52 AM on 09/27/2010

Dolphins are whales, and it's a hybrid nonetheless.

[caroline gray]

12:39 PM on 09/27/2010

true on hybrid i suppose, but in this sense it's not a "whale" in the sense that both species are classified under delphinidae not mysticeti (whales in the scientific sense)...

[KJLSanDiego]

11:16 PM on 09/26/2010

They're as cute as mixed babies! Yeay for diversity!

[turboturd]

08:50 PM on 09/26/2010

and they taste good in a stew!...

[rjmtx]

08:45 PM on 09/26/2010

Why didn't they show a shart, the most dangerous hybrid of them all?

[ncconcernedcitizen]

08:13 AM on 09/27/2010

That would be the politician/religious fanatic

[LauraNP]

06:50 PM on 09/26/2010

Alden, how interesting, I posted about hybrids on 9/23, a day before yours. Gee, where did you get your idea from? Just wondering.
http://www.eleventhhourllc.com

[Anastasia Giselle]

12:40 AM on 09/27/2010

Well maybe got the idea but did it entirely differently; there isn't one calling a person a hybrid between an animal and cloth. LOL.

[blaharumph]

05:48 PM on 09/26/2010

where are the zedonks?

[proudliberal4truth]

03:14 PM on 09/26/2010

They forgot one of the most exotic hybrids of all....the christineodonnell....the result of a brief rendezvous between a female block of wood and a male fencepost.

[MonsterMash42]

04:08 PM on 09/26/2010

Truely a wonder that the species continues to breed. It's been placed on the endangered species list and hopes of continued procreation are minimal. Though with the considered value of the animal at practically nothing, one can hardly call this a loss for planet Earth

[hagagaga]

04:39 PM on 09/26/2010

That would be a hybrid between homo sapiens and homo neanderthalensis.

[johnjohn1234]

02:50 PM on 09/26/2010

I want a Zorse. I believe Dr. Seuss was the first to hybrid them but he called it a Zizzer Zazzer Zorse.