Sunday fun Facts
This post is sponsored by SAASA and Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary
Fun Facts about White Lions
White Lion Latin name: Panthera leo
DID YOU KNOW?
An alternative explanation for the white colour is that the recessive gene for white/blonde is part of the lion's genetic heritage from the days when lions roamed far more widely.
The genetic marker determining the white colouration was identified in a collaborative study with 5 other countries in October 2013, and is being used to ensure genetic integrity and ultimately to determine the frequency of occurrence of the gene in the wild populations.
The earliest recorded sighting of a white lion was in 1938.
The white lion is a rare colour mutation of the lion, specifically the Southern African lion.
White lions in the area of Timbavati were thought to have been indigenous to the Timbavati region of South Africa for centuries, although the earliest recorded sighting in this region was in 1938.
Regarded as divine by locals, white lions first came to public attention in the 1970s, in Chris McBride's book The White Lions of Timbavati.
White lions are not albinos. Their white colour is caused by a recessive trait from a less
severe mutation in the same gene that causes albinism. They vary from blonde to near white.
This coloration does not appear to pose a disadvantage to their survival.
In order for a white Lion to be white one or both parents need to posses a recessive gene that is responsible for them being leucistic.
Come back next week for more exciting fun facts from SAASA and Jukani Wildlife Sanctuary here on Lets Go Big Tunes blog page