The two white tiger cubs are now on display: Cuteness overload: Dreamworld?s new white tiger cubs are now on display
Dreamworld Dreamworld News
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Dreamworld is about to start breeding from wild female koalas using genetic match-making. It will also be used for bilbies, and they are hoping to release 20 next year in Currawinya National Park: 'Tinder for native animals': Dreamworld genetics program about to match and breed wild koalas - 9news.com.au
I do find the standard usage of this very irritating nowadays- it also eclipses the fewer situations where it is actually true or relevant.
And according to this article, the renovated Tiger Island will open in September, including a new pool, grandstand and underwater viewing area: No Cookies | Gold Coast Bulletin
The public opening to the renovated Tiger Island happened today (although this article is from a few days ago when the press had access): Dreamworld's Tiger Island Park opens after $7 million redevelopment | Daily Mail Online
The first two females have arrived to kick-start the program: http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au...t/news-story/455a5f9d5d34982abdd3c7a939ba2dc8
zooboy28
Well-Known Member
Dreamworld have teased a new arrival coming later this month (27 June), stating on Facebook that "The great whites are coming...", with a image of a white creature with blue eyes. I am guessing this refers to white lions, but it could be just more white tigers, or even snow leopards, or perhaps something completely different.
It essentially implies white lions, unless it's adult white tigers as what exactly makes new white tiger cubs 'great whites.' I can't imagine Dreamworld holding snow leopards tbh. The attraction is called 'Tiger Island' so I'm not sure how white lions would fit into this however. They've had pumas in the past, but these have always played second fiddle to the tigers, in both size and media hype/crowd pulling so were always a secondary attraction at Tiger Island.
I can't imagine any reason they'd import adult white tigers as cubs are a bigger crowd puller and it would be easier for staff to build a relationship with a tiger they had reared from a newborn. If they wanted to expand their tiger population, the logical move would be to breed one of the Bengal males with one of the White Bengal females.
Personally, I'd rather see Dreamworld focus on breeding and holding the Sumatran sub species as they have a number of spaces which could be allocated to holding this species and contributing to the regional breeding programme, but in reality the majority of the visitors come to see the white tigers and if this equates to more financial contributions towards conservation, then I suppose the ends justifies the means.
the picture is a white lion. Dreamworld formerly held two separate pairs from National Zoo as a temporary display (in 2011). With the numbers of white lions now in Australia, I would suggest they are now getting some permanently.
While not a fan of anything mutant whites ... (pfffhhh mweehhh), the Dreamworld park is not a huge zoo set up for native endangered species (f.i. Lumholtz's tree kangaroo, koala and bilby), if it pays the bills and ensures they can continue and expand these good on them.
I'm no expert, but I also believe white lions are generally spared the abnormalities that afflict the white tigers (clubbed feet, eye problems etc.), they even appear naturally in the wild in some reserves.
And yes, you make a good point @Kifaru Bwana, if conservation work is achieved through the exhibition of these animals, then that;s no bad thing.
It'll be interesting to see where Dreamworld go with this, whether it's to import cubs, or an off display breeding pair they can breed from (like with the Sumatran tigers).
Altina wildlife park have just posted on Facebook that two young male white lions will be leaving the park for a 3 week "holiday" at Dreamworld before returning home again. I'm assuming this is a bit of publicity for Dreamworld to attract more visitors over the school holidays.
Could this be due to a slightly broader genetic base then the white tigers? The white tiger story (and I'm not sure how many of the facts are 100% true) has heavy inbreeding to encourage the white gene, and also breeding for other particular strains like the completely white and golden tabby tigers. And while white lions are not strictly a product of captivity I would suggest that they have been heavily managed at Timbavati for quite a long time. Anyway I'm not a fan of either and feel there is no conservation value in keeping the white freaks. Education value? Possibly, if you talk about genetics.
You're right @tetrapod, all white tigers are descended from a single male White Bengal Tiger named Mohan, who was captured in the wild in 1951. Mohan was bred to an Orange Bengal Tiger and then bred to one of his normally coloured daughters (who carried the recessive white gene). This produced the first litter of white tiger cubs born in captivity.
White lions have a much wider genetic base and do indeed occur natrually in the wild/wildlife reserves. I have no issue with them, as ambassador animals as people have a huge interest in them and this in turn raises money for conservation through admissions and donations. I don't think purebred sub species of tigers should take a back seat in any institution however because of these mutant hybrids.
My only objection to white tigers and white lions etc. is when every media outlet seems to progate the idea they are an endangered species and celebrate evey birth like the zoo has resolved world hunger.
White lions have a much wider genetic base and do indeed occur natrually in the wild/wildlife reserves. I have no issue with them, as ambassador animals as people have a huge interest in them and this in turn raises money for conservation through admissions and donations. I don't think purebred sub species of tigers should take a back seat in any institution however because of these mutant hybrids.
My only objection to white tigers and white lions etc. is when every media outlet seems to progate the idea they are an endangered species and celebrate evey birth like the zoo has resolved world hunger.
Except it would be easier and cheaper to talk about genetics with a collection of multi-coloured budgerigars.
Precisely, and unfortunately very often the institutions breeding them do nothing do discourage this.
Unfortunately I find that often those zoos that concentrate on "white things" (so including things like white kangaroos as well) don't do much for conservation anyway. As an example amongst our competitors locally we have two wildlife parks that breed white kangaroos and wallabies. Neither does anything real for conservation and both promote their "rare" white animals.
Some operators have told me they need the white animals to survive, and having struggled for many years ourselves I can understand this. However I do think that at a certain point operators of zoos and wildlife parks have to decide if they are showmen or educators and conservationists.
Tigeress Sita sadly passed away in May this year:
No Cookies | Gold Coast Bulletin
Dreamworld community in mourning after its oldest tiger Sita dies of kidney disease
Dreamworld is in mourning after its oldest tiger, Sita died at the age of 18.
The matriarch of the theme park’s tiger family passed away from kidney disease.
Sita, who was born at the park in 1998 and was one of its “awesome pawsome” has been one of the park’s mainstay attractions and a beloved icon for conservation efforts.
Her death comes less than a year after that of her brother Sultan, who also died of kidney disease at age 17
Rama is now the only one of the four still kept on Tiger Island.
Dreamworld’s life sciences general manager Al Mucci said Sita will be remembered as a conservation hero for wild tigers.
“Sita has been a phenomenal ambassador for the plight of the endangered wild tiger, with contributions from her tiger walks and guest photos going directly to funding tiger conservation efforts throughout the world,” Mr Mucci said on Wednesday.
Dreamworld says the park’s Wildlife Foundation, founded a year before Sita’s birth, has raised over $2 million for endangered tigers worldwide.
Mr Mucci said while park staff were understandably saddened by the news, they remained focused on preserving a future for wild tigers.
“We cannot let one of the world’s most iconic predators become extinct in the wild,” he said.
No Cookies | Gold Coast Bulletin
Dreamworld community in mourning after its oldest tiger Sita dies of kidney disease
Dreamworld is in mourning after its oldest tiger, Sita died at the age of 18.
The matriarch of the theme park’s tiger family passed away from kidney disease.
Sita, who was born at the park in 1998 and was one of its “awesome pawsome” has been one of the park’s mainstay attractions and a beloved icon for conservation efforts.
Her death comes less than a year after that of her brother Sultan, who also died of kidney disease at age 17
Rama is now the only one of the four still kept on Tiger Island.
Dreamworld’s life sciences general manager Al Mucci said Sita will be remembered as a conservation hero for wild tigers.
“Sita has been a phenomenal ambassador for the plight of the endangered wild tiger, with contributions from her tiger walks and guest photos going directly to funding tiger conservation efforts throughout the world,” Mr Mucci said on Wednesday.
Dreamworld says the park’s Wildlife Foundation, founded a year before Sita’s birth, has raised over $2 million for endangered tigers worldwide.
Mr Mucci said while park staff were understandably saddened by the news, they remained focused on preserving a future for wild tigers.
“We cannot let one of the world’s most iconic predators become extinct in the wild,” he said.
Dreamworld welcomed two hybrid tiger cubs last week. The mother of the two male cubs is Adira (2015) and their father is Pi (2010).
Tiger Cubs | Tiger Island | Dreamworld
Tiger Cubs | Tiger Island | Dreamworld
They used to have two females (sisters) named Sierra and Inca. They were born 04/07/1995 and arrived as three week old cubs the same year Tiger Island opened. Sierra and Inca died in 2016 and 2018.
There is now only one Puma left in the country - an elderly female at Zambi Wildlife Retreat; though I’ve heard talk of Australia Zoo wanting to import the species.