Ivan Naydenov
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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]
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- White bengal tigers are typically larger. White bengal tigers grow faster and are generally larger than the orange bengal tiger, both at birth, and when they are fully grown adults.
Learn about the white tiger, a rare colour variant of the Bengal tiger or the Siberian tiger, caused by a genetic mutation that reduces melanin production. Find out how white tigers are bred, displayed, and threatened by inbreeding and habitat loss.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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Jul 13, 2021 · White tigers are not a separate subspecies, but a result of a genetic mutation that makes them inbred and unhealthy. Captive tigers are often bred for profit and may fuel the illegal tiger trade, while wild tigers face extinction.
May 27, 2024 · The White Tiger (also known as the White Bengal Tiger) is a subspecies of Tiger, found throughout the Indian subcontinent. Although the range of the White Tiger is historically very large, these animals are incredibly rare as their coloration is dependent on a defective, recessive gene that is passed on from their parents.
- Female
- October 10, 1988
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Jan 22, 2021 · The White Tiger: Directed by Ramin Bahrani. With Adarsh Gourav, Rajkummar Rao, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Vedant Sinha. An ambitious Indian driver uses his wit and cunning to escape from poverty and rise to the top. An epic journey based on the New York Times bestseller.
Learn about the rare and endangered white tiger, a Bengal or Siberian tiger with a genetic mutation that causes its white coat. Find out why white tigers are not bred in the wild and how they are exploited in captivity for profit.
