ZooLeopard
Well-Known Member
Dont think this has ben mentioned yet?
In January the Isle of Wight Zoo made history when a rare white lion arrived and laid his first tracks down on Island ground. Travelling from his home at West Midlands Safari Park, three and a half year old Casper was secretly transported across the Solent by Red Funnel. For a while it was touch and go whether he would be able to travel on the scheduled day, which coincided with the heavy snow. Fortunately the motorways were clear and the journey went smoothly.
During the closed winter season, the big cat team have been quietly settling Casper into one of the zoo’s naturalistic enclosures. He has been enjoying the chance to climb onto the high rock and survey his new territory. For the time being his feline company is in the form of sibling tigers, Diamond and Aysha, living in a nearby enclosure but by Easter the zoo hope to bring Casper a belated Valentine gift in the form of a female white lion.
White lions are not albinos, but carry a combination of genes that cause them to release less pigment than a normal tawny lion. When he was born Casper would have been snow white, as he has matured he has adopted a pale sandy colour. Another striking difference from the normal coloured lions is that they have glacial green or icy blue eyes.
The Isle of Wight Zoo is now one of only three wildlife centres in the UK where white lions can been seen. There are literally a tiny handful of these unusual animals existing worldwide both in human care and in African reserves where breeding and re-introduction programmes are in operation.
The zoo team are looking forward to introducing Islanders to their newest resident and hope that everyone will brave the cold, wrap up warm and make tracks to welcome Casper during the half-term week!
In January the Isle of Wight Zoo made history when a rare white lion arrived and laid his first tracks down on Island ground. Travelling from his home at West Midlands Safari Park, three and a half year old Casper was secretly transported across the Solent by Red Funnel. For a while it was touch and go whether he would be able to travel on the scheduled day, which coincided with the heavy snow. Fortunately the motorways were clear and the journey went smoothly.
During the closed winter season, the big cat team have been quietly settling Casper into one of the zoo’s naturalistic enclosures. He has been enjoying the chance to climb onto the high rock and survey his new territory. For the time being his feline company is in the form of sibling tigers, Diamond and Aysha, living in a nearby enclosure but by Easter the zoo hope to bring Casper a belated Valentine gift in the form of a female white lion.
White lions are not albinos, but carry a combination of genes that cause them to release less pigment than a normal tawny lion. When he was born Casper would have been snow white, as he has matured he has adopted a pale sandy colour. Another striking difference from the normal coloured lions is that they have glacial green or icy blue eyes.
The Isle of Wight Zoo is now one of only three wildlife centres in the UK where white lions can been seen. There are literally a tiny handful of these unusual animals existing worldwide both in human care and in African reserves where breeding and re-introduction programmes are in operation.
The zoo team are looking forward to introducing Islanders to their newest resident and hope that everyone will brave the cold, wrap up warm and make tracks to welcome Casper during the half-term week!
