White Lion Cub Spotted In A National Park

Jul 24, 2020

Rare footage captured a white lion cub walking through Kruger National Park, one of only 15 left in the wild. The incredibly rare sighting was captured on video and in pictures by Ramsay Horton while visiting the Kruger, South Africa, in December 2018.

Lions are the only cats that live in groups. A pride can consist of up to 30 or 40 lions. This will depend heavily on how much food and water is available in that area. These big cats are fascinating to watch. Tourists come from all corners of the world to see the African lions.

Lions are mostly dark brown. Their colors range from tawny yellow, white, ash brown, and deep-orange, depending on the surroundings they are in. 

Ramsay Horton captured a very uncommon sighting. Although there are spotted white lions, it’s not a common occurrence, as Live Science points out. Guests in the park took time to be treated to this amazing sight of seeing a rare white lion cub.

The cub was seen in the company of the other two cubs. The other two were tawny cubs. The young lion was estimated to be less than three months old. It looked to be part of a much larger pride consisting of four females and their eleven cubs. 

Historically, these white lions have only been spotted in Kruger National Park Timbavati and nearby areas. The park shares that in 2006, footage emerged of two white young white lions in two different sanctuaries.

National Geographic says that experts do not repute white lions as different species of lions. They are white because both of their tawny parents carry recessive genes of white coating. They can also be called albino lions. But, many experts consider these peculiar lions as leucistic. This is a condition categorized by reduced body pigmentation. Otherwise, they have the natural eye color, which is different from albinos that have pink-colored eyes.

The presence of a leucistic young lion at Kruger National Park is an exciting discovery. It’s also a mind-blowing story for many. Having animals in our parks and forests is an advantage. They balance the eco-system. It is our duty as human beings to ensure the safety of these animals. Their existence and prosperity depend on us.

Have you ever seen a white lion? Let us know in the comments and be sure to pass this along to your friends and family.