Liger Stripes vs. Tiger Stripes

Both the tigers and the ligers have stripes on their fur which are a lot different from one another. Previously; the tigers were considered as the only big cats within the big cat family to have the stripes on their fur. The still are the only big cats to have stripes. However; there are many hybrid big cats these days which also have stripes on their fur i.e., the ligers, tigons and the ti-ligers.

Both the tigers and the ligers have beautiful stripes on their fur. However; the stripes of the ligers are different from the tigers' stripes in the great number of ways.

All of these hybrid big cats have inherited the stripes on their fur from the tigers. Despite the fact that the ligers have inherited their stripes from the tigers yet still both big cats display different stripes. This article differentiates the tiger stripes from the liger stripes in the great number of ways such as the color difference, pattern type, thickness and numbers of stripes etc.

Both Ligers & Tigers have
Stripes on Their Fur Liger Stripes vs. Tiger Stripes
A lot of Differences

The biggest difference in between the tiger stripes and the liger stripes can be observed within the color of their stripes. Tigers usually have black stripes on their orange fur while the ligers have dark brown colored stripes on their tawny brown colored fur. However; the tigers do have the reddish-brown colored and the white colored stripes on their fur too. Again these two color variants of the tigers can be easily differentiated from the dark-brown colored stripes of the ligers.

The tigers usually have the black stripes, or reddish-brown stripes or even white stripes. Ligers on the other hand have the dark-brown colored stripes.

People do sometimes mistakenly think of the Golden Tabby tigers' reddish-brown stripes to be that of the ligers' stripes and assume the Golden Tabby tigers to be the ligers. New observers do get themselves confused this way but a profound observation can help them to differentiate between the stripes of the two big cats.

Color of Tiger Stripes
Black & Reddish Brown Colored Stripes Color of Liger Stripes
Dark Brown Colored Stripes Golden Tabby Tigers' Stripes
Appear like Ligers but they are different

The second key difference in between the tigers' stripes and the ligers' stripes is related to the thickness of the stripes. Ligers have thin width of their stripes while the tigers usually have slightly thicker width of their stripes. The thinner width of the stripes on the ligers also allows them to have more numbers of stripes on their fur as compared to the numbers of stripes on the tigers.

The width of the tiger stripes is thicker as compared to the width of the liger stripes. The thinner stripes of the ligers also allow them to have more numbers of stripes on their bodies.

Furthermore; the size of the ligers is also very huge, therefore; more numbers of stripes are accumulated within their furs as well. Consequently; the ligers usually have almost twice more numbers of stripes on their fur than the tigers.

Ligers have
Thin Width of Stripes Tigers have
Thicker Stripes than Ligers Ligers also have
More Numbers of Stripes than Tigers

In terms of their appearance, the stripes of the tiger appear to be more dominant on their fur as compared to the stripes of the ligers. Usually the tiger stripes have a very big contrast with their orange fur. On the other hand; liger stripes are just marginally darker than their tawny brown colored (like lion) fur.

The stripes on the fur of the tigers are more dominant to be viewed as compared to the stripes on the fur of the ligers which are marginally darker than their tawny-brown colored fur.

The stripes you see on the tigers are more easily recognizable while the stripes on the ligers do require a reasonable degree of focus. Therefore; the tiger stripes are still the most dominant to be looked on their fur among all the big cats despite the presence of the hybrid big cats with their own stripes as well.

Tiger Stripes
Very Dominant on their Orange Fur Liger Stripes
Less Dominant & Visible on their fur

The stripes of the tigers especially the black stripes with the orange fur offer the perfect camouflage for the tigers while hunting. The stripes of the tigers help them to get easily merged within the plantations without leaving any clue of their presence.

The stripes of the tigers also help them to easily get camouflaged within the plantation of the forest. On the other hand the liger stripes hardly create such an impact.

Consequently; the stripes help them in successful hunting. On the other hand; ligers may not have this much luxury because their stripes do not create the same effect which creates the camouflage within plantation. However; the ligers may not need the camouflaging because they are in captivity and they always get promised food supply without hunting.

Tiger Stripes Create
Camouflage Impact Liger Stripes
No Camouflage Impact

The tiger stripes stay the same throughout their entire lifespan. They stay the same in terms of their pattern and colors etc. On the other hand; the liger stripes become paler and try to merge with their pale fur as they get older and older.

The stripes of the ligers become paler as they become old while the tiger stripes stay the same throughout their entire lifespan.

This was explained by Dr. Bhgavan Antle, who has decades of experience with the big cats such as the ligers. According to him, when the ligers are young their stripes are visible very easily but with the passage of time when the ligers become old, their stripes also get paler. Therefore; one may need a bit more focus and concentration to locate the stripes on the elderly ligers.

Tiger Stripes
Stay Same in terms of their Color Liger Stripes
Get Dimmer with the Passage of Time Young Ligers have
Visible Stripes on Fur Elderly Ligers have
Light Colored Stripes on their Fur

Lastly; no two tigers have similar pattern of their stripes. Similarly; no two ligers have the same pattern of the stripes on their furs too. Each tiger and liger has its own unique pattern of stripes. This way one tiger can be differentiated from another tiger and one liger can be differentiated from another liger.

Both tigers and ligers have unique pattern of stripes on their fur. This way both big cats can be identified on the basis of their unique pattern of the stripes.

These stripes are like the fingerprints for the tigers and the ligers respectively. One can easily recognize a particular tiger or a liger because of the presence of the unique pattern of the stripes on its fur.

Both Tigers & Ligers have
Unique Pattern of Stripes on their fur. Both Ligers & Tigers can be
Identified on the basis of their Unique Stripes