Big cats can have melanistic or black coloration and they can also have leucism or lack of pigmentation causing a white coloration (Virginia, 2014). Since they have a lack of pigmentation, their eye color also has a lack of pigmentation resulting in blue eyes (Virginia, 2014). Although the white coat makes the animal look beautiful, it also puts the animal at an evolutionary disadvantage because they have lost their ability to camouflage (Virginia, 2014). In the wild, this leucism occurs in one of every 10,000 tiger births (Wildcat Sanctuary, 2017). The last wild white tiger was hunted in 1958, so all the white tigers seen in captivity today are inbred to pass on the leucism genes (Wildcat Sanctuary, 2017).
Leucism is rare which leads some captivite places to inbreed their lions and tigers to create more leucism or white cubs. Inbreeding causes its own health issues, but leucism adds to those problems. Some of these genetic mutations are crossed eyes, cleft palate, spinal deformities, club foot, immune deficiencies, heart and kidney defects, hip dysplasia, hind-limb paralysis, and mental disabilities (Virginia, 2014). Leucism also causes their eyes to be crossed eyed resulting from the wires from the optic nerve to be connected to the opposite side of the brain (Virginia, 2014).
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums banned all breeding of white lions and tigers since 2011 (Virginia, 2014). Lions Tigers and Bears, a no kill, no breed sanctuary in southern California, is home to four leucistic tigers and one leucistic lion. The Wildcat Sanctuary, another no breed, no buy, no sell sanctuary, is home to five leucistic tigers and three leucistic lions. Lions Tigers and Bears and The Wildcat Sanctuary are both members of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and American Sanctuary Association.
Because leucistic big cats are rare it increases their value for canned hunts. Some hunters pay $165,000 to shoot a white lion as a trophy, and it is legal because the South African government used to have a loophole where canned hunting is illegal but it excludes lions (Virginia, 2014). In May 2021 South African minister of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, stated that “captive lion breeding does not contribute to conservation and is damaging South Africa’s conservation and tourism reputation” (Farmbrough, 2021; Fobar, 2021). This change will stop permits from being issued for canned hunts, cub petting, breeding's, or keeping captive lions and will revoke all current permits (Fobar, 2021).
Leucism still occurs in the wild. In 2013 a photograph was taken of a leucistic (white) cougar in the Serra dos Órgãos National Park in southeastern Brazil (Dell’Amore, 2020). Pumas, also known as cougars, have very little variation in coat colors (Dell’Amore, 2020). There are only two records of pumas being albino and another two reports of pumas being leucistic, with one of those two being this puma in Brazil (Dell’Amore, 2020). This puma has not been seen since the photograph was taken in 2013 (Dell’Amore, 2020).
You can help leucistic big cats by not partaking in cub petting or supporting places that inbreed or breed their white cats. Support true sanctuaries like Lions Tigers and Bears and The Wildcat Sanctuary that provide a safe and caring home for these animals to live out life without the dangers of being handled, hunted, or inbreed.
Literature Cited:
Big Cat Rescue. (2011, December 8). White tigers - Cruelty not conservation [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/UKwY7yV5sYo
Dell’Amore, C. (2020, December 3). Extremely rare white cougar highlights a quirk of the species. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/extrremely-rare-white-coug ar-highlights-quirk-of-species?loggedin=true
Farmbrough, H. (2021, May 14). Why South Africa is ending captive lion keeping and hunting. https://www.forbes.com/sites/heatherfarmbrough/2021/05/14/why-south-africa-is-ending-captive-lion-keeping-and-hunting/?sh=389ace007737
Fobar, R. (2021, May 3). South Africa plans to end controversial captive lion industry.
Lions Tigers and Bears. (2021, May 12). Spotted! Louie making faces at the camera!
[Photograph]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/COyKwAyrV1m/
The Wildcat Sanctuary (2017, October 22). 8 Fast facts about white tigers - did you know?. https://www.wildcatsanctuary.org/8-fast-facts-white-tigers/
Virginia, R. (2014, September 2). How these big white cats became cash cows.
Comments