Elephant hybrids

June 19, 2004 10:30 PM

Everyone has heard of mules, a cross between a donkey and a horse. I've even heard of ligers, a cross between a tiger and a lion. My question is, is it possible for an African elephant to cross breed with an Asian elephant?
posted by geekhorde to pets & animals (11 comments total)

Please refrain from posting racist jokes.
posted by interrobang at 10:33 PM on June 19, 2004

Check out Motty!
posted by interrobang at 10:40 PM on June 19, 2004

Wow. That's pretty interesting. Thanks interrobang!
posted by geekhorde at 11:33 PM on June 19, 2004

Don't forget Zorses, Zonkeys and Hebras!
posted by loquax at 2:00 AM on June 20, 2004

I think they call the hybrid an "elephant".

Although, I may be wrong.
posted by armoured-ant at 3:18 AM on June 20, 2004

There's also polokodiak bears.

It possible the elephant's evolutionary cousins, the rock and tree hyraxes may be able to interbreed, though there's little record of "trock/dree" dassies.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:34 AM on June 20, 2004

I forgot to mention Kekaimalu the wholpin.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:37 AM on June 20, 2004

Jackalope
posted by SPrintF at 10:23 AM on June 20, 2004

Africasiaphant!

Don't mind me.
posted by abcde at 1:40 PM on June 20, 2004

Yesterday, a friend showed me a snake that's a hybrid that crossed at the genus level. It was a cross between a rattle snack and something else that I can't remember. Everyone was very surprised when he showed up (first documented case of this I believe).
posted by Stynxno at 1:54 PM on June 20, 2004

When we bring back the elephants to North America, perhaps we can mix African and Asian herds and see what happens.
[/wish]
posted by homunculus at 2:59 PM on June 20, 2004