ITV GRANADA: Hidden Treasures episode 1: the amazing tale of Maude the Tigon

Description

Have you ever heard of a Tigon?

This beautiful animal is a cross between a male tiger and a female lion - a creature that could never exist naturally in the wild.

Maude was a rare example, and one of the most famous animals of her day. She lived at Belle Vue Zoo in Manchester, and is a sign of the 19th century's fascination with curiosities and animal breeding.

She died in 1949, and because she was so famous, so well loved and so rare, her skin was preserved to be kept in a museum.

But she lay undiscovered in a storeroom for 65 years. Now, Manchester Museum has brought her fascinating story to life: