Rare White Tiger Imported from Germany Enters Tehran Zoo
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A white tiger brought to Iran from Germany for public display was received by a zoo in Tehran, an official with Iran's Environmental Protection Organization (IEPO) said.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Amir Hossein Dadashi said that the white tiger was taken to Eram Zoo in western Tehran on Monday evening after its veterinary health certificate was submitted to IEPO.
He said the tiger had been kept in quarantine after arriving at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport due to the lack of the required certification.
The official went on to say that according to the certificate issued by Iran Veterinary Organization, the tiger is in good health.
According to Big Cat Rescue, white tigers (a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger) are produced by generations upon generations of inbreeding, a process that causes a lot of defects and deformities.
It is also important to remember that breeding of white tigers and lions can often be problematic.
In 2011, the American Zoological Association (AZA) formalized a ban on the breeding of white tigers, white lions and king cheetahs by their member zoos.
Moreover, like their colored brethren, white lions and white tigers have been threatened by hunting and habitat destruction, and are both believed to be almost extinct in the wild.
