Animals Endangered Detail
who started the captive breeding program. Eventually a small number of the white offspring were
sent to zoos overseas, but the Indian Government has indicated that it will not allow any more to
be exported. Now the zoos cooperate among themselves in their own breeding program.
The white tiger is not an albino, a creature totally without pigment, but a mutation in
which the usual orange color is replaced by white. In every other respect it is perfectly normal.
The breeding programs aim at conserving the gene for white fur. This is done by breeding
white tigers even with orange tigers so that the gene, though recessive, is carried by the orange
cubs. When these cubs are bred with others with the same kind of heredity, a number of the
next generation are white, following the laws of Mendelian genetics
All of the big cats are seriously threatened with extinction. A number have already
become extinct. As large carnivores needing substantial supplies of fresh meat, they inevitably
come in conflict with man. They are killed out of fear, for trophies, for fur for the fashion trade,
because they kill livestock, because it is a traditional way of demonstrating bravery. Man’s
weapons continually improve so they cannot escape. Man takes over their habitat for himself so
there is literally no place for them.
Unless large wilderness areas are set aside, unless we allow the big cats space for their
world, they will no longer be a part of our world. And when any part of our world is lost, we are all
immeasurably poorer.
who started the captive breeding program. Eventually a small number of the white offspring were
sent to zoos overseas, but the Indian Government has indicated that it will not allow any more to
be exported. Now the zoos cooperate among themselves in their own breeding program.
The white tiger is not an albino, a creature totally without pigment, but a mutation in
which the usual orange color is replaced by white. In every other respect it is perfectly normal.
The breeding programs aim at conserving the gene for white fur. This is done by breeding
white tigers even with orange tigers so that the gene, though recessive, is carried by the orange
cubs. When these cubs are bred with others with the same kind of heredity, a number of the
next generation are white, following the laws of Mendelian genetics
All of the big cats are seriously threatened with extinction. A number have already
become extinct. As large carnivores needing substantial supplies of fresh meat, they inevitably
come in conflict with man. They are killed out of fear, for trophies, for fur for the fashion trade,
because they kill livestock, because it is a traditional way of demonstrating bravery. Man’s
weapons continually improve so they cannot escape. Man takes over their habitat for himself so
there is literally no place for them.
Unless large wilderness areas are set aside, unless we allow the big cats space for their
world, they will no longer be a part of our world. And when any part of our world is lost, we are all
immeasurably poorer.
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
Animals Endangered
No comments:
Post a Comment