Have you ever heard about the existence of the white lion? If not, then you are in for a big surprise. White lions do exist. White Lions are lions that have a true white color. There are many facts about White lions we will discover.
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. Up until 2009, when the first pride of white lions was reintroduced to the wild, it was widely believed that the white lion could not survive in the wild. It is for this reason that a large part of the population of white lions now reside in zoos.
White lions are among the rarest and most treasured animals in the world. Rarer still is their survival in the wild. Their white color stands out in Africa’s wild bush country, increasing their risk of being targeted and killed by rival predators and marauding adult male lions. Male white lions weights up to 530 pounds and females up to 400 pounds. Their average lifespan is about 18 years. The male white lion is up to 10 feet long and 4 feet high and 6 feet long, and 3.5 feet for females.
Used primarily for communication and camouflage, color is one of nature’s most dependable defenses. White lions lose the ability to blend in to their surroundings, exposing them to other predators as well as jeopardizing their own ability to hunt. Overcoming their heightened visibility may be the greatest challenge young white cubs face. Often mistaken for albinos, white lions actually do have some pigmentation and dark eyes. They are leucistic animals, produced by the mating of two tawny lions that both carry a recessive gene for white coat color. Their ghostly white color is both a blessing and a curse, earning them a mythical status and a unique vulnerability.
Only three white cubs have reached adulthood in the wilds of South Africa since white lions were first documented there in 1975. Now, two white cubs, sisters, have beaten the odds, surviving all the challenges of their youth with the help of two remarkable lionesses—their mother, Matimba, and their aunt, Khanya. Without an adult male lion to protect their small pride, Matimba and Khanya must rely solely on their own knowledge, strength and courage to protect their family.
White lions communicate with the vocalization pattern. They make groundbreaking roar to warn potential threats or keep away predators from their family. White lions are soft and caring, and they use chuffing sounds while interacting with member of the pack or with their offspring. The way they communicate and alert their pack is also one of the amazing facts about White lions.
Lions typically kill their prey by strangulation, the pack consumes the carcass at the site of the kill. The pack patiently stalk the prey and attack at the right moment. The study suggests that white lions are equally apex predators as tawny lions.
White lions have significant cultural importance to the local Sepedi and Tsonga of the Grater Timbavati/Kruger park region. White lions are considered sacred in these communities. White lions are symbols of leadership, pride, and royalty and are viewed as national assets in countries like Kenya and Botswana. These facts about White lions show their cultural value and importance.
