Half ball python Half blood python

[Soterios]

There are several scientists that dispute this.

As there should/will be.

There are several scientists that dispute a lot of things. The grand majority however, feel otherwise.

[littleindiangirl]

I've read most of the replies here and i have a question.. What about naturally occurring hybrids? (because natural hybrids DO exist). I've seen a lot of them in birds, specifically water fowl, but there are other hybrid species too.

what about those?

If it happens in "nature" is it okay? should we hate it? should we like it?

Personally, i like hybrids. I like wolf mixes, coyote mixes, hybrid cats, hybrid birds, hybrid reptiles, and more. I think they are absolutely fascinating.

Naturally occuring hybrids is due to several things. Not only proximity, but population, geography and compatibility of genes.

For example, many contest that kings and milks interbreed all the time. They can be found in the wild, but more often than not, species breed with the same species unless there is no suitable mate in the same proximity.

And like Mark said, most hybrids are sterile or infertile. With alien gene's being often bred out again naturally. Some gene's are integrated into natural populations, as is seen in waterfowl in Europe from the invasive Ducks brought over seas.


There are very few examples of naturally occurring hybrids in the whole of things. Many hybrids get out competed by their parents, and often genetic mutations, or lack of certain gene's makes the animals unable to compete and survive.

Speciation is a very long process, and while hybrids will happen, there is a lot that these animals have to face before nature takes the course to creating a viable hybrid animal.

[Montessa Python]

We need to look at the term Hybrid.
Certain pet bird species are hybrids, the labradoodle is coined as an F1 or F2, similarly to the superball and its offspring.
Savannah cats being crossed with normal house cats are coined as hybrids but are not sterile.
A mule is sterile, ligers and some other crossings such as that are not.
The congolese spotted lion may be extinct. BUT it does not mean it is not being looked into to being recreated.
They are recreating the quagga, a zebra with a white rump and dark coat with zebra stripes. they are breeding for that look, whether they will succeed, or not is to be detirmened.
we as individuals can like or dislike people crossing species together to create a species that is new or different.
It will not go away, it is in fact in some cases saving some animals. As perhaps in their un-hybridized state they would not be able to exist in the area they are in.
Horses used to die all the time in africa, they now have to have so many shots to innoculate them its almost ridiculous.
They introduced hybrids, and used them for the antibodies so now a lot of other species can exist.
Our world is changing, whether we want it to or not, some species dont' exist in the wild any more OR are so rare have not been seen in the wild in years.
If a hybrid of that species can exist, then it will.
If people buy the hybrids and breed them, it will happen.
You as an individual can decide what you will buy, breed, eat or not.
Even our bread, coffee, and other basics come from early hybridization.
just thoughts.
Carol

[Crazy4Herps]

I'm pretty neutral on the hybrid/anti-hybrid debate, but I must admit... those are some sweet snakes! Although I'm trying not to imagine what a pricetag on one of those beauties would be...

[waltah!]

I'm pretty neutral on the hybrid/anti-hybrid debate, but I must admit... those are some sweet snakes! Although I'm trying not to imagine what a pricetag on one of those beauties would be...

I think they were around 3K or so.