The snow-white pride of Worcestershire
By FIONA MACRAE
6th February 2007
With their snow-white coats and ice-blue eyes, these four cubs belong to a very exclusive club.
Enjoying a spot of winter sunshine in Worcestershire, they are among just 130 white lions left in the world - and the first to be born in the UK.
Sisters Kiara, Lara and Toto and brother Casper will go on show to the public for the first time this weekend.
At their side while they roam round West Midland Safari Park in Bewdley will be their proud parents Maryn and Mubuto.
Deputy head keeper Angela Porter said: 'They are full of fun. One of their favourite pastimes is to jump all over their dad. It gets on his nerves sometimes, but I think he enjoys it really.'
The youngest, Toto, which means small or young in Swahili, is the most independent, regularly going exploring by herself.
Born in August, on mother Maryn's fourth birthday, the cubs, which weighed as little as 4 1/2lb, were closely monitored by CCTV for the first few days of their life.
Despite their appearance, the creatures are not albinos. They are examples of a condition called leucism, in which they lack the pigmentation necessary for hair colour but not eye colour.
While parents need not be white themselves to produce white cubs, both must carry the necessary gene.
According to African legend, white lions are the mythical king of beasts born just once every 100 years as a symbol of the purity of the animal kingdom. So prized are the creatures that they have been hunted almost to extinction in the wild.
The white lion is at distinct disadvantage in the wild, with its coat colour making it an easy target for hyenas. The animals are also more sensitive to sunlight and burn easily.
Also taking its first steps in public this week is an Indian elephant born at Whipsnade Wild Animal Park in Bedfordshire. The female calf, which is yet to be named, weighed 170lb when born two weeks ago, after 22 months in the womb.
dailymail.co.uk
By FIONA MACRAE
6th February 2007
With their snow-white coats and ice-blue eyes, these four cubs belong to a very exclusive club.
Enjoying a spot of winter sunshine in Worcestershire, they are among just 130 white lions left in the world - and the first to be born in the UK.
Sisters Kiara, Lara and Toto and brother Casper will go on show to the public for the first time this weekend.
At their side while they roam round West Midland Safari Park in Bewdley will be their proud parents Maryn and Mubuto.
Deputy head keeper Angela Porter said: 'They are full of fun. One of their favourite pastimes is to jump all over their dad. It gets on his nerves sometimes, but I think he enjoys it really.'
The youngest, Toto, which means small or young in Swahili, is the most independent, regularly going exploring by herself.
Born in August, on mother Maryn's fourth birthday, the cubs, which weighed as little as 4 1/2lb, were closely monitored by CCTV for the first few days of their life.
Despite their appearance, the creatures are not albinos. They are examples of a condition called leucism, in which they lack the pigmentation necessary for hair colour but not eye colour.
While parents need not be white themselves to produce white cubs, both must carry the necessary gene.
According to African legend, white lions are the mythical king of beasts born just once every 100 years as a symbol of the purity of the animal kingdom. So prized are the creatures that they have been hunted almost to extinction in the wild.
The white lion is at distinct disadvantage in the wild, with its coat colour making it an easy target for hyenas. The animals are also more sensitive to sunlight and burn easily.
Also taking its first steps in public this week is an Indian elephant born at Whipsnade Wild Animal Park in Bedfordshire. The female calf, which is yet to be named, weighed 170lb when born two weeks ago, after 22 months in the womb.
dailymail.co.uk