Captive white tigersare of unknownlineage and likely of mixed ancestry. The TigerSpecies Survival Plandevised by theAssociation of Zoos and Aquariumshas condemned the breeding ofwhite tigers. Thegenesresponsible for white colour are represented by 0.001% of the population. However, in 2008–2009, a closing stock of 264Bengal tigersand 100 white Bengal tigers were accountedfor in Indian zoos. The disproportionate growth in numbers of the latter points to the relentlessinbreedingresorted to amonghomozygousrecessiveindividuals for selectively multiplying the white animals. This progressively increasing process will eventually lead toinbreeding depressionand loss ofgenetic variability.[1]
Posted on: Fri, 15 Aug 2014 10:04:57 +0000