Elena Gocmen Rueda
TWO extremely rare white lion cubs have become the main attraction of an Andalucian zoo just a few weeks after being born.
The brother and sister weighed barely a kilo at birth and have been hand reared after their two siblings died.
Their parents are Simba and Lira, the first two lions to take up residence at La Pequeña Africa animal reserve in Cadiz. Neither of the parents have white fur.
Vet Carlos Delgado said: “Four cubs were born, all of them white, which is unusual for a litter.
“The mother tried to revive the dead cubs, so we had to take care of the other two lions and bottle-feed them.”
The cubs are being watched and cared for 24 hours a day with their progress described as ‘going well.’.
There is already an adapted nursery on the premises that allows visitors to the reserve to watch the cubs.
White lions are extremely rare: “There are only about 700 of them in the world,” said Delgado.
The colour of its fur is due to a recessive colour inhibitor gene and according to African beliefs ‘it is a divine animal that brings happiness if it crosses your path’.
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