White Lion Fatcs The Myth and Majesty

White Lion Fatcs  The Myth and Majesty

• For centuries the myth of the White Lion has been etched in African folklore.

Legend has it, that once every hundred years, magical White Lions will be

born bringing joy to all that see them.

• White Lions first came to the public’s attention in the 1970s in Chris

McBride's book The White Lions of Timbavati.

• In 1975, two White Lion cubs were found amongst a litter of three and, in

1976, another was spotted in a neighboring pride and legend of the White

Lions of Timbavati was born.

• White Lions are virtually extinct in the wild and we have the only

professionally trained White Lion for films and live events on the West Coast.

• White Lions are not a separate subspecies and they have never been common

in the wild. The White Lion is a rare color mutation of the Kruger subspecies

of a lion (Panthera leo krugeri), a rare species of the lion only to be found in a 200

square mile area called Timbavati.

• Why this condition occurs amongst lions only in the Timbavati area is

unclear but even today Kruger Park rangers spot the occasional solitary

White Lion ‐ a rare event though as they are practically extinct in the wild

and there are no more than 70 in the world today.

• White Lions are not albino as they do have pigmentation, which is apparent

in the eyes, paw pads and lip color. This is a condition called “leucism” where

there is a loss of pigmentation in the skin and fur with almost normal eye color.

This occurs too in the white tiger.

• If a cub receives a dominant “tawny” gene from either parent, its coat will be

tawny. Thus a litter may be comprised of both tawny and white cubs, similar

to leopards and panthers.

• 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.

Timmy Pratt There are only 50 of these magnificent creatures left on our planet, for some reason people like to hunt them. Why!!!. Will we all be satisfied when our wildlife is wiped out? Some species are nearly gone now. People who shoot animals are control freaks, shoot from 100 yards away, how brave. If you want to kill them go in a cage with them. So sad.