Only those cubs with dominance of these recessive genes will be white and not others.
![white lion cubs white lion cubs](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/7bd33f9455cd5b3f50e52285b721d5d8fd38c171/c=0-1320-1772-2323/local/-/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2014/02/05//1391615996000-AP-Poland-White-Lions.jpg)
In short, it is the recessive gene (called chinchilla or color inhibitor gene) that is said to be responsible for the white hair color.Īs this is a genetic condition, the young ones produced by a white lion may be tawny as well as white. It has been observed that white lion cubs are born with a pure white hair color that fades to blond, as they grow. So these lions may have a coat color that ranges from pale blond to almost pure white. This mutation results in deposition of lesser amounts of pigments along the hair shaft, resulting in a paler coat. It is said that such hair color is due to chinchilla mutation. The white coat color of these lions is often attributed to a genetic condition called ‘leucism’. In some rare cases, blue-colored eyes are also seen. Just like the ordinary lions, white lions too have a golden to yellowish-brown eye color. Unlike albino lions, white lions have normal-colored eyes, lips, and paw pads. White coat color in animals could be due to a congenital disorder called albinism, which causes complete or partial loss of melanin in the eyes, hair and skin. They include white rabbits, white squirrels, white giraffes, etc. You may come across white variants of various animal species. White lions are unique for their white coat. So white lions belong to this subspecies, in which most of the members have a sandy brown coat color.
![white lion cubs white lion cubs](https://www.getaway.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cub-2801381_640-1.jpg)
So these animals are also referred to as African white lions, and are classified under the subspecies Panthera leo krugeri. It is in this region that white lions are found. These lions are found in the Southeast regions of Africa, which include the Kruger National Park. There are eight sub species of lions and one among them is Panthera leo krugeri, known as the Southeast African Lion. Lions ( Panthera leo) are believed to have evolved in Africa, before thousands of years. Lions belong to genus Panthera in the family Felidae. These lions are like regular lions, except for the color of their coat.