Hybrid - leopard and sulcata cross

Anyfoot

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portsmouthtortoises

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I HAVE NOT READ ALL THIS THREAD SO EXCUSE ME IF YOU ALREADY SAID.
DO YOU KNOW WHICH ONE OF ITS PARENTS WAS THE LEOPARD?

LOOKS NICE. WOULD A SULLY AND A LEOPARD CROSS PATHS IN THE WILD?

CHEERS.


As far as i know, the Leopard was male.

There is quite a large debate about this subject but i wouldn't say it was impossible.
 

Tom

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Can I just throw this out there since it seems to be an ignored part of this topic, but Hybrids amongst these two species actually do occur in the wild, not that often, but they have bred before.

No they don't. Their ranges do not overlap, so how could this be?

I have never seen or heard of a wild sulcata x leopard hybrid. Please share with us where you saw this or why you think this and correct me if I am wrong.
 

Tom

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My concern is not that hybrids will make it back to Africa and pollute the wild gene pool. My concern is that what we have here in the US is all we will ever have. Importation was banned almost 20 years ago (1998), and what we have in captivity right now is all we will ever have. If we fail to preserve it and start mixing species and genetics we will eventually lose what we've got. It is already happening with mixing different locales of leopards and RFs. Mixing entirely different species just muddies the waters exponentially.

Further issues with this:
1. Showing pictures like these encourages more of this, and these two species should never be mixed. Behaviorally they are very incompatible.
2. Mixing species should not be encouraged because of the very real increased disease potential.
 

dmmj

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Did I ssee a nazi reference? boy .
I wonder if they will have an identity crisis? You know living in 2 different worlds thing.
 

Yvonne G

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At the rate sulcatas are being bred and producing offspring, I really doubt we'll ever run out of 'pure' sulcatas to ever have to worry about polluting the gene pool. I don't believe cross-breeding should be done, however, it is a beautiful animal and if I ever had the chance to own one (without spending money on it) I certainly would not refuse it.
 

Elohi

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My concern is not that hybrids will make it back to Africa and pollute the wild gene pool. My concern is that what we have here in the US is all we will ever have. Importation was banned almost 20 years ago (1998), and what we have in captivity right now is all we will ever have. If we fail to preserve it and start mixing species and genetics we will eventually lose what we've got. It is already happening with mixing different locales of leopards and RFs. Mixing entirely different species just muddies the waters exponentially.

Further issues with this:
1. Showing pictures like these encourages more of this, and these two species should never be mixed. Behaviorally they are very incompatible.
2. Mixing species should not be encouraged because of the very real increased disease potential.

Tom or anyone else, do you know if these animals animals are fertile or sterile?
 

Zeko

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I would love a cross.

While this is technically something that may not happen in nature at this moment, there is nothing to say that in captivity this is a bad thing. I'd even venture to say if a genetic analysis was done, this mixing will show an increase in survivability and adaptations. This is assuming the offspring are fertile and can continue to pass on these genetics.

If I ever get my hands on, I have a few friends who work in a genetics lab in Edmonton, Alberta.
 

mikeylazer

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Absolutely beautiful! I understand the argument on why this is "bad", but looking at crossbreeding as such a horrible thing is just beyond me. Take a mule for example. It serves a unique purpose and is a cross breed. I like the "what if" aspect in cross breeding. Maybe its the kid in me, or thinking there are aliens out there, but personally when you see a cross that not many people get to lay there eyes on and it may be beneficial for a species (not directly saying it is in this case) it is an amazing thing. Why limit anythings potential. Anyway.. I'm just rambling at this point (and I am not going to get positive commentary on this which is fine).

What a beautiful tort, you are very lucky.
 

dmmj

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My biggest problem is they breed these then want to charge an arm and a leg, because it is (everybody) unique.
 

mike taylor

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What most keepers forget is a tortoise after being bred one time she holds the ability to produce for up to five years without a male . So this female gets sold or traded to another keeper lays more and more inbred tortoises for years . Not a thing you should ever do . A horse and a donkey bred together makes a mule . But the horse doesn't hold onto the males sample but for the one time . Then the mule is infertile no more babies . Its natures way of keeping a good blood line .
 

Anyfoot

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What most keepers forget is a tortoise after being bred one time she holds the ability to produce for up to five years without a male . So this female gets sold or traded to another keeper lays more and more inbred tortoises for years . Not a thing you should ever do . A horse and a donkey bred together makes a mule . But the horse doesn't hold onto the males sample but for the one time . Then the mule is infertile no more babies . Its natures way of keeping a good blood line .
I never new that mules were infertile.o_O That's my new knowledge for today. So do we know yet if anyone has a fertile hybrid tortoise out there. Or has nature covered this too.
 

mike taylor

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I have no idea if the inbred tortoises can reproduce or not . I'm hoping they can't . Its a shame this happens . But I wouldn't turn one down . I wouldn't buy one .
 

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