Her parents have normal color, but small lion born in Texas zoo has rare white coat color due to recessive genes.
According to National Geographic, lions born yesterday Ellen Trout Zoo 15/7 in Lufkin, Texas.
"They told me that it has white plumage," zoo director Gorden Henley said. "Initially I did not believe, but it's true that white."
Newborn lion was the second son of Adia, an African lioness. Celia Falzone, zoo caretaker, said parents of young lions have normal color, and the gene is recessive factor in newborn lion with white coat color. Light-colored fur lion is a natural mutation, so, in the wild, but still extremely rare white lion.
Wild white lion was first discovered in 1938, but not until 1970 was officially recognized. Today, there are about 13 white lions live in the wild in South Africa. The world's estimated 300 white lions live in captivity.
Ellen Trout Zoo are limiting human exposure to the lion and has no plans to introduce a young lion to the public.
Adia unable to fully care for Sango, her first child, because it was distracted by the surroundings and not making enough milk. Veterinarian of the zoo is gone, so is the sex undetermined lion. They will be named after the lion know its gender.
A few years ago there was a white lions born in zoos, but after 6 months, its color back to normal. Unknown lions born with white fur maintain no.
