Hybrid Bears

Here's the story: a hunter goes hunting in Canada for polar bear. He shoots a very light bear with characteristics of both a polar bear (legal for his hunting permit) and a grizzly bear (not legal). Eventually, the bear was returned to the hunter, but he was thoroughly investigated and treated as a potential poacher.

While polar-grizzly hybrids had been seen before in captivity, the interesting thing about this case is that this was the first such animal found in the wild. It seems fair to me that the case be treated as a potential case of poaching, but I agree with the verdict eventually reached -- that the bear was a hybrid, and was thereby fair game.

I think animal hybrids are an interesting phenomenon. I have heard the term 'species' defined as a group of animals that can interbreed successfully -- which would suggest that grizzly bears and polar bears are, apparently, part of one single species -- though I think this definition may be rather strict, as it's certainly worth distinguishing (in my opinion) between the large brown and the large white creatures.

Though I don't think it would be ethical to artificially provoke inter-special hybridization, it would be interesting to know what other types of animal hybrids are feasible. Consider that hybrids also exist between tigers-lions (see: Napoleon Dynamite), zebras-donkeys, horses-donkeys, and many other animals. Also, it's worth mentioning the beefalo (what a great name).