WaleedWhite tigers are neither true subspecies of a tiger nor are they true albinos. They are born as a result of inbreeding between individuals within the same family members such as father to daughter, brother to sister, and mother to son. The inbreeding occurs in orange Bengal tigers. Thus, we can say that the white tigers have come from true Bengal tigers. Most scientists however condemn this kind of inbreeding. They believe that the inbreeding of orange tigers is an illegal practice and must be put to an end. Let us discuss white tiger evolution.
Where Do White Tigers Come From?
The inbreeding not only shortens the lifespan of true Bengal tigers it also causes serious deformities in white tigers. But many zoologists seem to be busy in inspiring people by breeding white tigers in zoos. The reason is simple that is the white coat attracts many people as compared to the traditional orange coat. More so, they continue to affect the overall health of orange Bengal tigers.
Read More: What Do White Tigers Eat?
Over the past many decades, biologists have not observed any white tiger in the wild since the early 1950s. The first of the white tiger was spotted in the Calcutta Zoo back in 1920. Approximately thirty years later, another white tiger was caught on May 27th, 1951 in India. Its name was Mohan.
All white tigers following the capture of Mohan are thought to be the descendants of Mohan. Even so, breeders are beginning to cross Siberian tigers just to get the bigger white tigers. These exhibitors likely give many reasons for their illegal practices.
They literally defend it by saying that white tigers are becoming endangered and that they (breeders) are saving them from extinction. Scientists claim that white tigers are probably the only species that should go extinct.
White tigers carry dense white coat which is why they have long fascinated biologists and other people. But these white tigers are mostly, if not always, born with a good many number of structural birth defects.
While many tigers are born with a head-distortion or doomed head, others appear to show snubbed nose at birth, still others are recognized by their unusually wide set of eyes or jutting jaws.
References & Further Reading
- http://www.zoosprint.org/ZooPrintMagazine/2010/October/7-15.pdf
- https://www.luo-lab.org/publications/Luo13_CurrentBiology.pdf
