Home / Environment / In Pictures Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read | Comment
Pure white Bengal tiger astonishes keepers
Adjust font size:

It doesn't take a wildlife expert to spot the difference between this white Bengal tiger cub and the rest of her family. For six-month-old Fareeda missed out when they were handing out the stripes.

Blue-eyed girl: Squeaky-clean Fareeda at just a few weeks old. [CRI]
Blue-eyed girl: Squeaky-clean Fareeda at just a few weeks old. [CRI]


That makes her an extreme rarity - and a major attraction at the South African conservation centre where she was born.

Fareeda's mother Geena and father Shiva are kept at Cango Wildlife Ranch, near Cape Town, as part of a breeding programme to keep their species alive.

Last Christmas Day, Geena had three cubs - Fareeda, her brother Shahir and sister Sitarah. Keepers immediately noted Fareeda's lack of markings but had to wait to see if she developed them later.

"Some cubs develop stripes in their first few months but after six months it's clear that Fareeda is truly one of the rarest of her kind," said keeper Odette Claassen, 52.

"When she was born Fareeda had noticeably pale colour. It did cause a stir of excitement amongst the staff. But we knew there was the possibility of the cub's very light black and ginger stripes darkening over time."

The white Bengal tiger used to be common in the wilds of India, but now exists only in captivity after falling victim to disease and poaching.

Apart from Fareeda, the only other stripeless examples are in the U.S., descended from a single male captured in the 1950s.

"She has a lovely nature and loves playing with her brothers and sisters, although she has nipped me a few times when she wants a feed," added Miss Claassen.

"White Bengal tigers are not albino - they have distinctive blue eyes, and they used to be found in Northern India before they died out.

"My hope is that one day Fareeda and her kind can be returned to their native habitat.

"That is why it is so important to educate people about tigers and keep the breeding programmes going."

1   2   3    


Tools: Save | Print | E-mail | Most Read Bookmark and Share
Comment
Pet Name
Anonymous

China Archives
Related >>
- Bengal tiger pelts seized in Qingdao
- Handicapped Siberian tiger gives birth to two cubs
- Manchurian tiger is new mother of two
- Visitors watch in horror as white tiger mauls keeper
- Tiger triplets to make their debut in Guangzhou
NGO Events Calendar Tips
- The Eco Design Fair 2009
- Environmental English Training (EET) class
- Hand in hand to protect endangered animals and plants
- Changchun, Mini-marathon Aimed at Protecting Siberian Tiger
- Water Walk by Nature University
More
Archives
World Fights A/H1N1 flu
The pandemic fear grips the world as the virus spreads from Mexico to the US, Europe and as far as China.
Panda Facts
A record 28 panda cubs born via artificial insemination have survived in 2006.
South China Karst
Rich and unique karst landforms located in south China display exceptional natural beauty.
Saving the Tibetan Antelopes
The rare animals survive in the harsh natural environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.
More
Laws & Regulations
- Forestry Law of the People's Republic of China
- Meteorology Law of the People's Republic of China
- Fire Control Law of the People's Republic of China
- Law on Protecting Against and Mitigating Earthquake Disasters
- Law of the People's Republic of China on Conserving Energy
More
Links:
State Environmental Protection Administration
Ministry of Water Resources
Ministry of Land and Resources
China Environmental Industry Network
Chengdu Giant Panda Research Base