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You are here: Home / Animals / Why Are White Tigers an Endangered Species and How Many White Tigers Are Left in the Wild?

Why Are White Tigers an Endangered Species and How Many White Tigers Are Left in the Wild?

April 17, 2020 by Karen Hill

White tigers have white or almost white fur, and their unique coloration is caused by a recessive gene.

white tiger

There aren’t many white tigers left in the wild due to over-hunting of their pelts, and they are considered an endangered species.

White tigers are a rare sight, and their eye-catching whiteness puts them at a disadvantage when they’re trying to sneak up on prey.

However, the place where a white coat would be an advantage is in a zoo, and more than a hundred white tigers live in various zoos around the world.

All of them are the descendants of a white cub that was caught in India in 1951 and given to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

Unfortunately, the white tigers on display are the result of severe inbreeding of siblings, cousins, and parents mated to their own cubs.

This single-minded determination on the part of humans to have a supply of the crowd-pleasing white tigers has resulted in deformities like back problems, hip dislocation, and crossed eyes.

Because of these genetic problems, hundreds of cubs have had to be destroyed along the way.

Currently, there are only a few thousand white tigers left in the wild.

These are the hazards of show business.

Related Facts

  • How Difficult is it to Breed Tigers in Captivity and Do Zoos Still Capture Tigers From The Wild?
  • When Did the First Zoo In the World Open and Where Was the First Zoo In the United States?
  • If a Group of Lions is Called a Pride, What is a Group of Tigers Called and Why?
  • What is the Best Way to Avoid Being Attacked and Eaten by Tigers if You Encounter One in the Wild?
  • Why are Cheetahs an Endangered Species and How Many Cheetahs are Left in the Wild?
  • Why Do Tigers Have Stripes?

Filed Under: Animals

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Why do Leopards have Spots and Tigers have Stripes for Camouflage But Lions Are Plain?
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