As a lifelong cat person, I’ve always enjoyed seeing the big cats at the zoo. As a child, I remember being especially enamored of the white tigers. I thought them to be Siberian tigers, a species of tiger adapted to live in the snow and cold. This is still a fairly common belief, but the truth is much more complex.

White tigers are not their own species of tiger. Rather, just like house cats come in a variety of coat colors and patterns, they are ordinary tigers of a different color. They have a gene variant that prevents them from producing the pigment responsible for their usual orange color. This gene originally appeared in the wild, and approximately one in every 10,000 wild tigers used to be naturally born white. However, so few tigers still remain in their natural habitats that it is unknown whether the gene still exists in wild populations.

The white tigers that live in captivity owe their existence to a single white tiger captured in 1951: Mohan. Mohan was the prized possession of the Maharaja of Rewa, who bred Mohan to his offspring in order to produce more tigers with this rare trait. The gene that causes white color is recessive, and with only one source available for this rare trait, it was and still is impossible to produce white tigers without significant inbreeding.

The maharaja was not the only one captivated by the beauty of white tigers, and eventually Mohan’s descendants would be sold to zoos and private collectors all over the world. For decades, white tigers ingratiated themselves to an adoring public, and people flocked to see them, not realizing that they were a product of human intervention instead of evolution.

A white tiger with several cranial deformities. Image by LaWanna Mitchell.

Unfortunately, the decades of inbreeding required to maintain white tiger numbers have taken their toll. Today, white tigers suffer from numerous health problems. The gene responsible for their color appears to also affect the ways that their eyes communicate with their brain. All white tigers have problems with their vision and tend to go cross-eyed when under stress. Kidney problems are common as well, and many white tigers suffer from club feet, shortened tendons, snub noses, jutting jaws, or other cranial deformities. Some of these health problems are so severe that they require a lifetime of specialty care.

Though we may delight in seeing the majesty of a white tiger, the truth of what it takes to create these animals is far less majestic.

A Siberian tiger. True Siberian tigers are orange, not white. Image by Appaloosa.

White Tigers and Conservation

Most estimates put the number of tigers surviving in the wild at under 4,000 individuals. With this in mind, wouldn’t white tigers be considered important for conservation, even if they are bred just for looks? Unfortunately, no.

There are six surviving subspecies of tiger, and each subspecies is adapted for a particular environment and climate. Some subspecies can better tolerate the heat, while others can survive extreme cold. Tiger breeding that is done for conservation is very careful to breed within these subspecies, in order to preserve those specialized adaptations and unique traits. Lineages are carefully tracked, and records are rigorously kept.

Tiger breeding that is done for profit or aesthetics usually disregard subspecies, ending up with a random mix of traits and tigers that are not well-adapted to live in any of their natural environments. White tigers fall into this group. They are bred for profit, not conservation, and any white tiger at a zoo is taking resources that could be used on a more genetically valuable specimen.

With this in mind, the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, a highly respected organization which is dedicated to zoo education, conservation, and animal welfare, has banned the breeding of white tigers in accredited zoos. Of course, the white tigers that were bred before this rule may still exist in zoos, and all tigers deserve to be well cared for. However, before long, white tigers may only exist in private collections, bred by unscrupulous people who care more about making a profit than about the health and wellbeing of the animals in their care.

Tigers of another color

White is not the only color variation that can be found in tigers. Other genetic combinations can cause a variety of interesting coat colors. One variant is “golden tigers,” which have very faded stripes, giving them a ruddier appearance. On the other end of the spectrum are “black” tigers, which have expanded black stripes, with only small spaces in between where the white or orange fur underneath is visible.

Numerous other variations exist that can change a tiger’s coat. Some tigers lack stripes entirely, or have spots instead of stripes. While these variations may be fascinating and beautiful, when seen in captivity, they are almost always the result of inbreeding and the mixture of different tiger subspecies. This is a very irresponsible way to treat an endangered species. Tigers are not our pets, and should never be bred for color alone. The limited resources of conservation facilities should be focused on breeding healthy and genetically diverse individuals, even if a more unique animal might be good for revenue.

Tigers are dwindling on the edge of extinction, but it isn’t too late to save them. This is why it’s so important to support our local zoos and wildlife sanctuaries that are doing important conservation work, and not give our money to the people who treat tigers like livestock or status symbols instead.

- Kate Dzikiewicz, Science Curatorial Associate and Seaside Center Manager