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Double trouble: Zoo welcomes white tiger cubs
TAMPA – They’ve got big blue eyes, snow-white fur, and sharp little teeth. They’re two of Lowry Park Zoo’s newest additions — a pair of white tiger cubs, now seven weeks old.
The cubs were the second litter born to ‘Nikki’ back on October 4. They weighed 3.6 and 2.5 pounds at their first checkup, but they are growing steadily, zoo officials say.
White tigers originate from Bengal tigers. They are not albinos and they are not a separate subspecies of tiger. They have blue eyes, a pink nose, and white fur covered with chocolate-colored stripes. White tigers are born to tigers that carry the unusual gene needed for white coloring.
Wild white tigers are very rare, because their white coats provide poor camouflage, making them easily spotted by prey.
Visitors to the zoo may be able to catch a glimpse of the pair in the zoo’s Asian Gardens area, but they will be limited to mornings only until the cubs grow older. Mother and babies will rotate on exhibit with their white tiger father, Yala.
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Comment by Jeff Kremer on 17 December 2008:
Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo recently announced the birth of 2 new white tiger cubs. These tigers cubs are in addition to the 2 white tiger cubs born in April 2007 to the same adult white tigers introduced to the zoo in January of 2007.
Unfortunately the zoo’s tigers must “rotate” time spent within their public exhibit due to space and compatibility concerns. In August of 2006 CEO Lex Salisbury shot and killed Enshalla, a female Bengal tiger that had escaped her night house enclosure due to human error. Following the killing of Enshalla, Mr. Salisbury publicly announced that he would seek another Bengal tiger to serve as companion to Eric, the zoo’s lone male Bengal tiger. Both Enshalla and Eric were part of the zoo’s Species Survival Plan (SSP).
Instead of honoring this commitment, in January of 2007 Lowry Park Zoo introduced 2 adult white tigers While the zoo never commented on the status of Eric it chose to celebrate the birth of 2 white tiger cubs in April of 2007. White tigers are not included as part of the Association of Zoo’s and Aquariums (AZA) SSP plan.
While not “rotated” on public exhibit, Lowry Park Zoo’s surplus tigers are relegated to spending their day’s and nights in 1960 style concrete night houses.
Empower yourself regarding the association between Lex Salisbury, Lowry Park Zoo, Safari Wild and the Exotic Animal Trade.
Respectfully,
Jeff Kremer
Tampa’s Zoo Advocates
http://www.TampasZooAdvocates.com
Comment by B. Oblivion on 19 December 2008:
Bravo Mr. Kremer
The world would be a better place without captively breeding white tigers.
Warning Do Not Follow Link Unless You Want To Be Depressed: http://tippedearclan.wordpress.com/2007/01/10/meet-the-real-captive-bred-white-tiger/ – Why Breeding White Tigers is Very, Very Wrong.
Shame on anyone who collects, displays or breeds these abominations.
Brian Oblivion – American Punk Gone Horribly Wrong