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Learn about the rare white tiger, a colour variant of the Bengal tiger or the Siberian tiger, with blue eyes and dark stripes. Find out how this mutation occurs, what threats it faces, and how it is used in zoos and animal acts.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- White Tiger Profile
- Interesting White Tiger Facts
- White Tiger Fact-File Summary
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Zoos have a bit of a conundrum. Housing only animals that help science would make for a much smaller and less exciting selection for visitors, and giving every animal enough room to feel truly comfortable would result in most of them hiding away, never to be seen. In both cases, the zoo would lose money from visitors that could be used to work on b...
1. They are white due to a lack of the pigment pheomelanin
Pheomelanin imparts a range of red and yellow pigments that produce the orange coloration of the tiger – and is found in other tigers, such as the bengal tiger, with orange color fur. Like all tigers, their stripes are like fingerprints of humans. No two tigers have the same stripes. Each pattern is completely unique to each big cat, helping create a way to tell them apart. An additional genetic condition can result in the tiger being almost completely white, with no stripes. This snow white...
2. They should be exceptionally rare
White tigers are often erroneously described as an endangered species, even in some zoos, and while they are very uncommon, there’s a good reason for this rarity. As tigers, they are technically endangered, but they’re far from being a different species. White individuals are the product of an improbable genetic mutation in the single tiger species, Panthera tigirs; one which occurs in perhaps 1 in 10,000 tiger births. The lack of orange pigment in their fur makes them less suited to their en...
3. There are likely zero wild white tigers
Of the roughly 4,500 tigers left in the wild today, it’s unlikely that any of them are white. Despite hundreds of captive examples, this is not a trait that occurs – or should occur – frequently in the wild. 1
Scientific Classification
1. Daphné Halley, Emily Lieb, and Ashley Wrean (2021), “The White Tiger’s Dark Past“, ArcGIS StoryMaps. 2. BCR (2012), “Today at Big Cat Rescue AZA Says No More White Tigers or White Lions“, Big Cat Rescue. 3. Dan Ashe (2020), “Tiger King and the Cruelty of Private Ownership of Wild Animals“, Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 4. Kitty Block and Sara Amundson (2020), “200-plus wild animals removed from notorious Indiana roadside zoo“, A Humane World. 5. SustainableSlice (2023), “Are Zoos Ethi...
Learn about the white tiger, a rare and endangered breed of tiger that has a genetic mutation causing a loss of pigmentation and a distinctive white coat with black stripes. Find out how they are bred, why they are unhealthy, and why they are often mistreated in captivity.
- Captivity
- Worldwide
- 20 years
- 3 meters (10 ft)
Learn about the rare genetic mutation that causes white tigers, their endangered status due to inbreeding, and their habitat and diet. Find out how IFAW works to protect these majestic animals and stop their exploitation for profit.
Jan 13, 2023 · Learn about the White Tiger, a subspecies of Tiger with white fur and blue eyes, and its distribution, habitat, behavior, and conservation status. Find out why none have been seen in the wild for 50 years and how to see them in zoos and sanctuaries.
- Female
- AZ Animals
- Optimization Editor
- October 10, 1988
Jul 13, 2021 · White tigers are not a separate subspecies of tiger, but a result of a rare genetic mutation called leucism. They exist in captive facilities due to inbreeding and are often unhealthy and exploited for profit. Learn more about the reality of white tigers and how to protect wild tigers from WWF.
The white tiger or bleached tiger is a leucistic pigmentation variant of the mainland Asian tiger. It is reported in the wild from time to time in the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, in the Sunderbans region and especially in the former State of Rewa. [1]
Aug 21, 2023 · Learn about the rare and beautiful white tiger, a product of genetic mutation and inbreeding. Discover its origin, characteristics, challenges, and other mutant tigers.
