If white lions and melanistic tiger are considered a rarity, what remains to be said about a golden tiger? This majestic wild cat is as rare as it sounds, as so far it is the only one in the world with such a spectacular coat color
Naturally, when such a unique creature is captured on camera for the very first time, ever, it goes viral. The golden tiger was spotted in the Kaziranga National Park, Assam, India, by the wildlife photographer Mayuresh Hendre. The breathtaking snaps have then aired on Twitter, after an Indian Forest Services officer, Parveen Kaswan, decided to share them.
They are very rare and some say it is caused by a recessive gene that gets expressed due to extensive inbreeding. 2/n pic.twitter.com/r2v6oVb1Tl
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) July 10, 2020
The photos immediately sparked a debate among wildlife enthusiasts that were wondering if they are actually real since none of golden tiger was known to live in the wild. And indeed, this magical creature is the only golden tiger captured on camera in the 21st century.
So far, it is unclear what may had caused the tiger’s spectacular color, but some think it might be the result of a recessive gene, just like ta albinism, leucism or melanism.
Few were recorded in zoo. But rarely captured in wild. And in recent years this one individual. Pics taken & sent by @Mayuresh_Hendre for sharing with all. pic.twitter.com/bFPhSL0fqg
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) July 11, 2020
