Incredibly Rare White Lion Born in Leon Makes Its Debut at One Month Daily Mail UK
go to original October 16, 2012

A one-month-old white lion cub plays at an enclosure at Leon's Zoo in Leon, Mexico. (Reuters)

An extremely rare snow white lion cub met the media on Monday, its first official appearance since it was born on September 14.

The little lion, whose name has not yet been released, made its debut at Leon's Zoo in the city of Leon, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.

White lions are a very rare subspecies that predominately live in zoos and the new baby is one of an estimated population of only 300.

The white color is caused by a recessive gene, like blue eyes in humans, and their coat shade can range from blonde to a pure white.

The beautiful species were last seen in the wild in 1994, when they were technically listed as extinct.

They are native to only the Greater Timbavati region of South Africa, where they are regarded as sacred.
 
Many were taken from the wild into captivity in the 1970s by Europeans for breeding.

They have been re-introduced into the wild in South Africa, through the Global White Lion Protection Trust, though their livelihood continues to be threatened as they are prized targets for hunters.

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