Hi, i agree that zoo's should focus on the more endangered subspecies of tiger rather than breed whites just to look good and attract visitors, but it does confues me when people say white tigers hold no conservation value... people are naturally facinated by it simply because its different, i personally think they are just as beautiful as orange tigers, but white tigers do have a uniqueness to them, that attracts people and encourages them to learn about tigers, and help do something about saving them. If you ask me that is the definition of conservation value...
When did they last breed White Tigers? As for conservation value....that phrase really means that the white tigers are of no use to a captive breeding program and they are taking up valuable space that could be used for one of the captive breeding programs for tigers. The AZA community is currently realizing that because of the large about of generic tigers in zoos the tiger SSPs will only be able to focus on one of the tropical tiger species in the future, unless more zoos are willing to phase out the generic tigers.
To be honest i think zoo's should start actually begin returning some of their 'pure stock tigers' already, then they'll have plenty of room to continue breeding without pressuring other facilities who don't have the same plans as them; instead of just breeding and breeding and talking about eventaully releasing it's animals one day... in the never ending future...
...Well there are plenty of national parks and reserves in India/Sumatra/Russia that have dwindling tiger populations, and populations that are isolated & in need of new blood. Isn't the point of SSP & AZA zoo's to keep genetically pure and healthy animals, to eventually release them into the wild again...otherwise what's the point..??
The zoo last bred white sin I think 2004. This one is one of the cubs. The zoo does focus on Malayan they had 3 cubs last year.
During the 70's and 80's i helped look after the Tigers at Bristol zoo in England. We had White Tigers and Normal Bengal Tigers, i helped hand rear 2 white Tiger cubs and loved them to bits. I do agree that there has been far too much in breeding in the past, in more recent years the whites have been cross bred with orange, this has ended up with a large number of normal captive bred Bengal Tigers having White genes in them, this is why there is still the occasional white cub popping out to orange parents. The same has been done with an awful lot of aviary bred foriegn birds just for show perposes in breeding to get more colour mutations or bigger chests or sleek bodies or fancy crests, and i could go on..................
