How can a lion have cubs with a tiger?

Lions and tigers are different species but belong to the same genus, Panthera, which allows them to interbreed and produce hybrid offspring known as ligers (lion-tiger hybrids) or tigons (tiger-lion hybrids). This can occur in captivity where both species are kept together, as they have compatible reproductive systems. However, such hybrids are typically sterile and cannot reproduce, making their existence a unique phenomenon rather than a sustainable population.