White, Black & Golden Tigers

[peter]

Some remarks regarding Guate´s post (from the top down).

1 - White tigers in India. Some time ago, I posted an authentic report about two adult white tigresses shot and measured in India. In ´Man-Eaters of Kumaon´, Jim Corbett wrote he saw and filmed a white tigress in Kumaon.

2 - White tigers have been seen in Manchuria as well. Chapter XVII of ´The Tiger´s Claw´ is about a white tiger in Manchuria. This animal, at the request of a Japan zoo, was hunted by Jankowski and his sons. Although the tiger was very close to them (he attacked a domestic ox in a shed next to the house in which they slept), they couldn´t get to him. Jankowski didn´t see the tiger himself, but others did. This animal, a large male, was not afraid of humans and hunted by day. Apart from that, Jankowski saw skins of white tigers. These skins were completely white and had palish brown stripes.

3 - Tiger facilities. I know of a number of facilities in Europe and read a number of articles about facilities in the US, Africa and China. I also talked to different people who were involved, trainers, owners and directors included. It isn´t easy to get to an opinion about these facilities and the motives of the owners. I noticed all were fascinated by tigers, all had different objectives and most, although educated to a degree, didn´t seem to have a clue as to what they were really doing. Inside, I sometimes had the idea I was on an island playing in a very adventurous movie (including a weird scientist playing with fire). At other times, I saw committed people giving it their all. After everything I saw, my conclusion a circus is better than a facility or a zoo and big cat trainers usually are more committed and educated than all others combined. Everyone involved in captive or semi-captive big cats in some way really is involved in the past.

4 - Tiger and lion subspecies in captivity. I read many books written by people who caught wild big cats and other animals. Some owners of menageries and zoos caught their own animals. Many tigers described as ´Bengals´ were in fact Panthera tigris corbetti. Apart from a few exceptions, the supply line regarding India was cut in the seventies of the last century. Java and Sumatra tigers were caught until the late fifties and early sixties and the Russians, regarding Amur tigers, continued a little longer. I am absolutely convinced some wild tigers ´poached´ today can be found in established and well-known zoos or facilities in some way. Everything has a price.

It´s very difficult to get to a conclusion regarding subspecies in captivity. In some cases, tigers of different subspecies were seperated from others for many generations and only bred to tigers of the same subspecies. Recent research proved some captive tigers, for this reason, can be used for breeding. In most cases, however, tiger were interbred. I talked to a big cat trainer who showed me the result of a meeting between a large Amur male and a small Sumatran tigress. He said he was convinced both were completely pure. I talked more than once with him. Long conversations. My conclusion was he was both very well educated and sound in every way. These tigers, all very healthy males in their prime when I saw them, could have been the largest I saw. Ground colour very red, numerous very black stripes and different from all other captive Amur tigers I saw.

5 - Today. Over the years, attempts have been made to get to a breeding program of tiger subspecies. Some zoos concentrate on corbetti, whereas others have Kruger lions or Amur tigers only. Research has shown there still are pure subspecies in some facilities. This, however, doesn´t mean these animals can be used to rewild. The reason is captivity has a profound effect on big cats. They are apex-predators and it takes a very long time to get there. My guess is different generations. If things continue the way they do (regarding wild tigers), we could see new facilities in the future. These could be close to those seen in Russia. The ones created for abandoned cubs or wounded tigers, I mean. No humans allowed. Reply