White Lion Cubs Born at French Zoo
A French zoo is celebrating the arrival of four white lions this week. Three female cubs and one male were born on May 20 to the zoo’s adult lion Nyala, adding to the roughly 30 white lions that live in captivity worldwide.
The cubs had to be taken from their mother at birth because she showed a lack of parenting skills, zoo officials said.
The four cubs, “are in full health, and we are thrilled,” Bernadette Oury, director of the Jurques Zoological Park, told the AFP news service.
White lions, which originated in South Africa, are not a separate species. The unusual animals are the result of a recessive gene that grants them snowy white coats instead of the normal golden fur. National Geographic
The white lion is occasionally found in wildlife reserves in South Africa and is a rare color mutation of the Kruger subspecies of lion. It has been perpetuated by selective breeding in zoos around the world. White lions are not a separate subspecies and they have never been common in the wild.
White cubs occasionally turn up among tawny lions in the Timbavati and Kruger National Park regions. Because the gene is recessive and is masked by the normal tawny colour, white lions remain rare in the wild and only occur when two lions carrying the mutant gene are mated together. The greatest population of white lions is in zoos where they are deliberately bred for color.
White lions are not albino lions. Instead, the white color is caused by a recessive gene known as chinchilla or color inhibitor. They vary from blonde through to near white. This coloration gives white lions a distinct disadvantage in nature because they are highly visible. It gives them away to their prey and makes them an attractive target for hunters.
According to Linda Tucker, in “Mystery of the White Lions – Children of the Sun God” they are bred in camps in South Africa as trophies for canned hunts. Shudder.
ZOO Bratislava – African Lion – Photo by Stano Novak
White Lion at Mogo Zoo
This is one of the white lions bred at Mogo Zoo in Australia. Like cats of all sizes, they still love to play.
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I am sad to hear that white lions are easier prey to unscrupulous hunters of rare wildlife. I hope these animals do not become extinct like the whale. Their beautiful white fur make them adorable.
Hello French Zoo my name is Richard Daniel Leppard & I’am 23 years old & I would liked to look after these four little white lion cubs. & would you be able to bring these lion cubs to me
from french zoo to Slough. & I would give you my address is
57 Hatton Aveune Slough Bearkshire postcode SL2 1NF telephone number is 01753 575784. & my email address is richardleppard27@yahoo.com & hope you get this messge
through to you from Richard.