Three adorable white tiger cubs have just made their grand debut at a zoo in southwest China, much to the delight of visitors.
Born two-and-a-half months ago at the Yunnan Wildlife Park in Kunming city, these blue-eyed Bengal tiger triplets represent a significant milestone in the conservation efforts for this rare species.
To commemorate this special occasion, a competition has been launched during the country’s national holiday to name the three precious cubs.
Captured on video, the newborn white tiger triplets struggled to keep their eyes open during their public appearance at the Yunnan Wildlife Park in Kunming city.
Sporting their iconic black stripes and fluffy white coats, the cubs tumbled around their enclosure, charming spectators with their playful antics.
These cubs are the latest additions to the six white tigers born at the Chinese zoo last year. The footage released by China News showcases the endearing nature of these cubs, highlighting their unique beauty and lively demeanor.
However, the new mother faced challenges in nursing the cubs due to her lack of experience, requiring assistance from the zoo’s breeders.
Despite this, the zoo assures that after two-and-a-half months of care, the three white tiger cubs are healthy and capable of interacting with visitors.
White tigers, a genetic variation of the well-known orange Bengal tigers, can only be born when both parents carry the rare gene, occurring naturally only once per 10,000 births.
Currently, only about 250 white tigers are in captivity worldwide, compared to 5,000 to 7,000 orange Bengal tigers living in the wild.
Unfortunately, the population of Bengal tigers in the wild has significantly declined due to poaching, deforestation, and overhunting of their natural prey.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were approximately 100,000 Bengal tigers in the wild, but their numbers have drastically decreased.
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