White Lions of South Africa
The white lion is occasionally found in wildlife reserves in South
Africa and is a rare color mutation of the Kruger subspecies of lion
(Panthera leo krugeri). 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. Regarded as divine by locals,
white lions first came to public attention in the 1970s in Chris McBride's
book The White Lions of Timbavati. The greatest population of white lions
is in zoos where they are deliberately bred for color. The population of the
white lion is unknown but the most recent count was in 2004 and 30 were
alive. 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, however some can also be red. This
coloration gives white lions a distinct disadvantage in nature because they
are highly visible. This 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.
The chinchilla mutation, a recessive gene, gives white lions their unusual
colors. A similar gene also produces white tigers. White lions can therefore
be selectively bred for zoos and animal shows. Such breeding involves
inbreeding of close relatives and can result in inbreeding depression
(genetic defects, reduced fertility, and physical defects) although this has
not yet been recorded in white lions in zoos as it has in white tigers.
According to Tucker, white lions in canned hunt camps have been found to
have hind-limb paralysis and serious heart defects, indicating a severe
level of inbreeding involved in mass-production although they are rare in
the wild.People are concerned about the White Lions mating with regular
lions.
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