White Tigers

RESEARCH ON WHITE TIGERS IN RESPONSE TO SAM LEACH

A common misconception among many people, is that the tiger on the right is in fact a Snow, Siberian, Arctic or some other kind of special species or breed of tiger. The truth is in fact that it is not a special or endangered species, but a genetic mutation on a normal tiger, which is the product of a shallow gene pool and repeated inbreeding. The recessive gene which gives these tigers their whiteness also leads their optic nerve to be wired to the wrong part of the brain, making them hereditarily cross eyed, and they are also subject to a whole host of other potential genetic defects such as cleft palettes, scoliosis, immune and behavioural conditions.

Yet still the myth pervades that these animals are exotic, rare and somehow in need in propogating. One worryingly misnformed website states; "Royal, majestic, and beautiful, white Bengal tigers are slowly depleting in their numbers. Their unusual coloration is what makes them very popular at most zoos. These white tigers are also known to be solitary animals. Sadly, although there were around 8 subspecies of this kind, today, as a result of poaching, only four exist." The white gene is infact so unnatural for these creatures, that in the wild their orange peers have been documented to turn on and kill them. In most cases however the lack of pigmentation only becomes apparent when two recessive genes are allowed to come to the forefront due to very low genetic diversity, which is scarely an issue in wild tigers.

"For years, breeders and exhibitors have been using the excuse that white tigers are an endangered species so they need to keep breeding them. This is completely false. Breeders of white tigers do not contribute to any species survival plan; they are breeding for money. In reality, the breeding of white tigers compounds the problem by giving the general public a completely incorrect image of these powerful wild predators. It’s also caused a giant surplus of normal golden-colored tigers in the private sector worldwide since most litters have several unwanted golden tigers, too. Out of a litter of cubs, the breeders will pick the white cubs that bring in a lot more money on the market and euthanize, inhumanely destroy or neglect the cubs that do not meet the color requirement." - The Truth About White Tigers

 As I began to dig a bit deeper it was clear this was actually something of an international issue, as I happened upon more and more articles speaking about 'The White Tiger Fraud' and the 'Barbaric Practice' for Beauty'. Dr Dan Laughlin Ph.D Veterinarian went so far as to say;

"The only conceivable legitimate reason for exhibiting a white tiger would be for educational purposes to clearly and unequivocally illustrate to the public the process of natural selection and how, when a deleterious recessive genetic mutation randomly occurs that is disadvantageous for the survival of the animal, such as white color in a tropical jungle environment, the animal does not survive to pass on that genetic mutation or disadvantageous characteristic to its offspring." - Zoo Vet on the White Tiger Fraud

In 2008 the American Zoological Association formalised their ban on the breeding of white tigers, however it is unknown to what extent unregulated breeders have adhered to this. However I think the motif of the white tiger is an extremely fertile one as a metaphor for the priority human desire over the subsequent cause and effect. Audiences do not truly understand the situation they are witnessing, and are given instead a false but entirely more palatable truth so they do not feel responsible for the cause and effect of their patronage to such institutions.

As a product of human cosmetic appeal, the White Tigers of today are genetically defunct, yet this is difficult for the public to interpret and both the interests of both tigers and audiences are being sold down the river in the name of popularity and profit. It is also testament to mankind's seemingly innate desire to control its environment and play god. It was not enough that random miracle tigers were spontaneously born white, we had to find a way to farm more, without care for the repercussions.