Rare white lion born in Brazilian zoo for the first time
An white lion cub that was abandoned. Photo: Getty Images.
For the first time, a rare white lion has been born in a South American zoo.
The two-month-old cub named Clara has been bottle-fed by staff at Santa Catarina Zoo in southern Brazil since her mother rejected her shortly after the birth.
A white lion cub that was abandoned by its mother in Poland. Photo: Getty
Zoo staff say the little lion is doing well and enjoys a bottle of goat’s milk with vitamins every few hours.
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While she is currently kept separate from the rest of the lions in the zoo, keepers are hopeful that she will be able to join the rest of the pride in a few months time.
Her colouring is caused by a genetic mutation and is distinct from albinism.
In 2011, Clara’s parents were brought to the zoo from Pretoria, South Africa.
White lions are incredibly rare in the wild due to the distinctive colouring of their coat which makes them stand out and vulnerable to hunters.
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There are a number of white lions in zoos all over the world.
The Global White Lion Protection Trust was established to protect white lions and ensure that their genes are not bred out of the lion subspecies.
The organisation also ensures that any white lions in their breeding programs are not inbred.
In 2009 a pride of white lions was reintroduced into the wild in South Africa, but prior to this it was believed that they could only survive in zoos.