Currently in South Africa, rare white lions are being raised for hunting and entertainment purposes for humans.
White lions with blue eyes are selective hybrids.
Unlike other lions, white lions have a white fur color and different eye colors ranging from brown, bronze, dark green, gray to navy blue. In which, white lions with blue eyes can be born only after selective breeding.
Despite its white fur color, the white lion is not an animal with albinism but a mutation of scleritis. This is a rare mutated lion famous in the Timbavati Wildlife Sanctuary, South Africa. Their unusual coat color is due to the recessive gene derived from the mutation induced by albinism. However, a white lion’s coat color can vary from bright yellow to almost white.
Although beautiful, white lions can experience a number of health issues such as genetic mutations, impaired fertility, and defects if mated closely. In addition, some white lions also face paralysis of the forelegs and heart disease. However, doctors have not yet been able to verify whether close sex is the cause of the two diseases mentioned above.
However, the sad thing is that white lions are being bred in some hunting parks in South Africa for commercial purposes. Most of the visitors to the park are skillful hunters who have the pleasure of catching and killing pitiful animals like white lions. They will have to spend a few tens of thousands of dollars to feel the feeling of victory over rare wildlife.