Does this look like the pretty white tigers we see in zoos? Or on Post cards? Definitely not. Is it sick?? nope.This is the true face of the white tiger.
The fact is that White Tigers come from a genetic mutation which is NOT favored in the wild. The key is that being the color white...sort of ruins their camouflage in the wild. This makes it so that a white fur coat is NOT favored.
The white coat is a recessive gene which means that the only way to produce a white tiger is through inbreeding from father to daughter, grandfather to grand daughter etc. So when you trace it all back...all white tigers are related to each other and come from the same original white tiger.
By the nature of inbreeding, animals who are excessively inbred are prone to severe birth defects and multiple health concerns. Things like immune deficiency, scoliosis of the spine (distorted spine), and grotesquely crossed eyes that bulge from their skull. Only a very small percentage are suitable for display! Most breeders will dispose of their deformed white tigers and continue inbreeding until a "normal" white tiger comes along.
The reason why we have white tigers in zoos is because of people. People enjoy the pretty coat and the exotic hype of an animal that is rare...and oh-so beautiful. Some have even claimed that the white tiger is a "special" rare species of tiger completely separate from the orange ones we are used to. They call it the "Royal White Bengal Tiger." Which does not actually exist.Help inform the public and educate others about the origins of the white tiger. To read more, click here.
