Rock that Coat

The first thing that turns up in search results when you Google ''White Lion'' is an 1980s American/Danish Hard Rock band complete with bad mullets and stonewashed jeans. It surprises me that people could be more interested in seeing the mugs of this badly permed lot who are frankly, ugly rockers, than the rare beautiful white mane of the White Lion. The White Lion is a genetic mutation and is rarely seen in the wild. I watched a documentary recently about these white lions that were bred in captivity then ''semi'' released in the wild. Apparently their distinct colouring is a disadvantage when hunting and they can be easily spotted by prey. They can catch prey but just not enough to survive on in the wild, so the lions in the programme are always helped out by a handout here and there.

Being visible is a big disadvantage in the wild, as well as being spotted by prey, they are an easy target for hunters, the tawny lion having the benefit of being camouflaged by its coat. Most of the White Lions that exist now are in zoos. Scientists have theorised that the genetic mutation has been passed down through the ages because the white colour might have been helpful to the lions during the ice age, where they would be camouflaged against the white backdrop. They think the genes could be kept in case of another ice age.

White Lion Facts:

• The White Lion is a morph with a genetic condition called leucism


• Confirmation of their existence only arrived in the 20th century


• cubs attract predators as can be spotted easily


• Were originally thought to be just a legend circulating South Africa

Link to Wikipedia