White Tigers

[Cassiepeia]

I found this video today and thought since we here at Global Paw are so passionate about breeding, you guys and gals might be interested.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VnvjGInpzs

Cass.

[PawNclaws]

That is SO sad.. I had NO idea that was/IS going on. Made me misty eyed when I seen the Tigers with deformalties(Sp?).. I just feel so bad for them. The question again rises, how can any one be so cold hearted to think that it's OK..

ETA - Cass, thank you for sharing..

[britishbandit]

Interesting video. But unlike the breeding of domestic animals, it's a bit more complicated to boycott. Unfortunately, I don't think that will stop people from visiting zoos. Not that I personally have been to one in years, and despite the fact these animals are confined in cages where they aren't able to be "wild", I can't help but feel....hmmm....what's the word......that I've had the opportunity to see these (not just tigers, but all of the animals at the zoos) magnificent animals which I otherwise likely would never have seen during the course of my life. I have to be honest, no matter how terrible it may sound.

I find it strange though, I remember studying tigers in my highschool environmental studies class when we were researching endangered species. And being totally fascinated by them, I got really into this study. Granted, it has been quite a while, but I thought the white tiger had been around (recorded anyway) since the mid-late 1500's. If my memory serves me right, wouldn't that possibly rule out the breeding by human interference to produce them? It had to have happened in the wild at some point wouldn't you think? Yet the video states that this hasn't occurred in the wild.

[Cassiepeia]

It's possible it did happen in the wild and that humans have exploited it. Although since wild animals have been kept in captivity since well before the 1500s, it's also possible that the white tigers recorded back then were captive bred from a small gene pool (which was then exploited).
Of course, I'm talking here having done no research. Just throwing out ideas.
Either way these animals do not survive in the wild (for obvious reasons) and so I think the time spent housing and breeding them (never mind the moral/ethical issue regarding the possible necessary inbreeding) is a waste of time, space and money...all of which could be spent on critically endangered species who do survive in the wild, but for the intervention of man.

Having said that...they are beautiful, wonderous creatures and the ones in captivity right now should be cared for with as much devotion as their orange brothers and sisters.

Cass.

[Shelties]

I had no idea about the white tigers, i actually thought they exist in the wild and they were actually my favorite wild animal because they were so beautiful and there were something about them.

That is sad that inbreeding actually occurs in order to make them white, there goes my liking for white tigers =-/ i still think they're beautiful though.

[Swiftwind]

What an interesting video, I didn't have any idea about white tigers either. I thought they were an endangered species.

[Doglover1988]

http://www.bigcatrescue.org/white_tigers.htm info page with more videos and pictures. There is one very informative video on there I believe it's the first one. The first white tiger came from the wild in india they found it as a cub and brought it back to the U.S. they tried to breed him to a normal orange female 3 times and the babies were never white so finally they bred him to one of his daughters and there were white babies. It is so sad that some of them are so deformed....I can't stand seeing such a beautiful animal look like that.

[oc_spirit]

Isn't it interestng how we see this and think it is an abomination especially when the picture of the tiger with deformities was shown, BUT then we turn around and love on dog breeds such as the English Bulldog who has gone through very much the same thing...How else do you think they went from the wild canines to what we have now? Domestication and inbreeding both contribute to big changes (look up the study done on 100 (?) captive foxes who were domesticated and bred - they started throwing fox cubs that were parti-coloured.

[Ritz459]

I can't look at the youtube video, but I did check out the other link....that is so sad. I never knew that white tigers weren't wild animals.

...and because they serve no conservation purpose. Owners of white tigers say they are popular exhibit animals and increase zoo attendance and revenues as well. The same rationalization can be applied to the selective propagation of white lions, king cheetahs and other phenotypically aberrant animals."

Ugh. Breeding "bigger" and "cooler" WILD animals just to get attendance....makes me sick. That is no different than inbreeding designer dogs because they want to sell them for big bucks. At least when we domesticated the dog they served a purpose, not just publicity.

Forgive me, but when I go to a zoo, I want to see an animal that hasn't been tampered with by humanity in an enclosure fit enough to be its natural habitat.

I just get sick to my stomach when I think about how people want a beautiful majestic animal like a big cat just for the sake of show when the big cats shouldn't be owned at all. And then I get even sicker when I think about all of the puny little roadside zoos and such who abuse and keep them in cages 24/7. And circuses? Nope, not for me...

[britishbandit]

Oh, and just want to make it clear, that obviously, if they know that by trying to breed white tigers normally results in mutilation and defects, they shouldn't be doing it. In my last post, I wasn't implying that at all. I just find it hard to believe that that it hasn't happened in the wild before.

It's sad though, that it appears they do this on purpose simply because it might attract more attention to the zoos having one in there. I personally prefer the look of the orange tigers. I also find it odd that with an animal already on the endangered list, that they'd do it with the risk of mutation and killing/abandoning the ones that don't "turn out pretty". You'd think in captive breeding, they'd want them healthy and save as many of the babies as possible.

[Cassiepeia]

Originally Posted by oc_spirit

Isn't it interestng how we see this and think it is an abomination especially when the picture of the tiger with deformities was shown, BUT then we turn around and love on dog breeds such as the English Bulldog who has gone through very much the same thing...How else do you think they went from the wild canines to what we have now? Domestication and inbreeding both contribute to big changes (look up the study done on 100 (?) captive foxes who were domesticated and bred - they started throwing fox cubs that were parti-coloured.

Yes it is.

But that'll never change. If what is said about white tigers is true, there is a chance to change at least that.

Boycotting won't work and I don't agree with that in this case (unless it involves boycotting shows, like circuses, where the animals are performing). Zoos are important and no one should stop people from going to them. I think raising a fuss about it is the only way to do it, but lots of people need to make noise and make people aware.

Cass.