Today we are lucky enough to have a guest post by a fantastic writer and animal lover, Maria Kruk, an author for Species.com. I highly recommend you check out her website and explore all of the amazing wildlife information she has over there.
The White Lion
Up to the end of the 20th century white lions remained as some kind of myth. The first mentioning about these animals appeared nearly 400 years ago in Timbavati area, which nowadays appears to be the place of white lions’ origin, on the western part of Kruger National Park in Africa. It was the times of Queen Numbi, who watched the fallen star and got into a glowing sphere. Later, weird animals started to appear in the area, including two-headed cattle, leopards and white lions. According to another version, the great white lion came from the sky to help people overcome their hardships. At least, that is how emergence of white lions is described in African local legends.
Appearance
One might say that white lions are subspecies of large big cats’ family, like deep black panthers or white tigers. Though, they belong to Panthera leo species. However, in sober fact they are common lions by nature, which experience a genetic condition of leucism – the opposite one to black panthers have. An absence of certain gen preconditioned white pigmentation of fur and skin color. As time passes, white paint darkens and transforms into cream or even ivory coloring. Apparently, out-of-ordinary appearance was a reason of massive white lions’ poaching during last centuries; in addition, it did not help animals that much to hide in green and yellow grasses of African savannas. There are also some references that white lions are pretty sensitive to sunlight, which is why peak of their activity occurs after sun goes down.
Distribution
The first discoveries of white lions are recorded in 1970s, when they were observed by European hunters in the Greater Timbati Region. Unfortunately, after 12 years of constant male white lions hunting, these big cats became almost rare and, as a result, were removed from the area into nearest conservation facilities. Local zoologists and scientists from all over the world initiated breeding programs immediately. To date, the most significant achievements were performed by Global White Lion Protection Trust, founded in 2002 as non-profit organization.
According to Global White Lion Protection Trust, there are nearly 300 white lion individuals around the world, which live either in African Reserves or in Zoos worldwide. Most of the stuff, including scientists and reserves’ personnel, is engaged in enlargement of white lions’ population. As one could guess, phenomenal body paint cannot but draw an attention of zoologists and genetics. Specifically, white lions might be observed in Philadelphia Zoo, Karachi Zoo, Stukenbrock Zoo in Germany, Taiping Zoo in Malaisisa, Jurques Zoo in Franceas, West Midland Safari Park in the UK, as well as in special reserves in Canada, China, Japan and Russia. White lions also might be met in Sanbona Wildlife Reserve in South Africa, where monitoring and breeding programs are conducted. In Sanbona white lions have absolute freedom from poachers, staying the same wild animals. To date, white lions are recognized as vulnerable species regardless small population.
I never knew that