Newborn white lion cubs in Tbilisi Zoo


 

Tbilisi Zoo’s recent arrival of newborn white lion cubs has captivated both local and international attention, marking a significant milestone for conservation in Georgia. These rare cubs—born to lioness Cleopatra and lion Samuel—are a rare example of white lions, a leucistic mutation of the Southern African lion thought to occur naturally only in places like Timbavati and Kruger in South Africa

The litter comprises three pink-nosed cubs, reportedly two males and one female, born after a complex delivery process safely guided by zoo veterinarians. Sadly, this is the first successful birth of white lion cubs in Tbilisi Zoo since the devastating flood in June 2015, which claimed hundreds of animal lives—including a previous white lion cub—and destroyed much of the zoo infrastructure. The zoo director emphasized how symbolic and important this new birth is, describing it as “a contribution to restoring this rare breed”

Immediately after birth, the cubs were separated from their mother and housed in a quiet, controlled environment where staff provided around‑the‑clock care to ensure their health and adaptation. The zoo planned to introduce them to the public shortly thereafter, giving visitors the opportunity to see these beautiful cubs firsthand

White lions are not albinos; their pale fur results from leucism—an inherited, recessive trait that reduces pigment deposition—making them distinctive but genetically identical to tawny lions. Globally, fewer than 70 zoos house white lions, underscoring the rarity and importance of this birth for species survival efforts

In total, these three cubs symbolize a hopeful new chapter for the zoo’s wildlife conservation mission: a gesture of recovery, continuity, and resilience. Their presence offers not only scientific value but also an emotional uplift to a zoo still rebuilding from past natural disaster.

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