Seeing a white lion is a sight to behold. “These rare beasts can weigh up to 270 - 530 pounds. They can also be as tall as 4 feet” (The Cincinnati Zoo). The color of their fur can be very easy to spot in the wild (Lair Web). They have powerful legs and teeth, used for hunting and eating prey (Smithsonian National Zoo). These are pretty big and alluring creatures.
Over 10,000 years ago lions lived in the wild on all continents,
but today they mostly live on Africa (Smithsonian National Zoo). Almost all white lions are living in captivity, but for some, they live in Timbavati, South Africa (White Lions TrustKey). In Timbavati, the white lions lifespan is about 18 years (The Cincinnati Zoo). Timbavati is mostly just a park. This is due mostly to the variety of animal it consists of.
White lions are an endangered species. 100s are in captivity, while there are less than 15 roaming in the wild (White Lions TrustKey). They are so rare because only one subspecies of lions can have white lions (Lair Web). And even if they are the only one subspecies that can have them, the genes all white lions carry is very rare. So, when you see one in a zoo, you better take a picture because it might be your last encounter.
The white lion isn’t very well camouflaged, lives in South Africa or zoos, and is slowly becoming extinct. These scattered animals are very interesting. Even seeing them in zoos is a hard find. Also, their habitat is a very limited space in the wild. It’s a shame they’re hunted and have no protection laws.