Hard of sight, weak of knee, drained of spirit, the world's last tigon (half tiger, half lion) waits for death's embrace.Once the prime attraction of Calcutta zoo, 24-year-old Rangini spends her last days in a dark, dank cage. Born in 1974 of a Royal Bengal tiger and an African lioness, Rangini has lived longer than either species does. When she dies, so will the last reminder of an era when man tinkered with nature's diversity. Rangini was a survivor in a short-lived breed of mutants. Her predecessor, Rudrani, in 1985 produced seven litigons - crosses between a lion and a tigon. All but one, which survives in Calcutta, perished. The Central Zoo Authority banned such experiments in 1986 in tune with a worldwide decision to stop hybridisation of the big cats.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Aug 31, 1998--- ENDS ---
