Are white Tigers extinct?
No, but they are not a different species or subspecies – they are simply Bengal tigers with a genetic condition called leucism, which causes reduced pigmentation. This is not the same as albinism, which is a total lack of pigment – an albino tiger is completely white, with no stripes, and has pink eyes, not blue. White tigers are rare in the wild, since their condition is passed on by recessive genes and is generally detrimental to the animal – most do not live long when they do occur, since their colour makes them stand out as an obvious target for predators. Those that do make it to adulthood have a hard time hunting for the same reason – it’s easier for their prey to see them coming since they lack the natural camouflage of normally coloured tigers. They have been extensively bred in captivity as they are a draw for zoos and wildlife parks, which unfortunately means that many of them are inbred and suffer the detrimental effects. In response to viper_ej’s answer, if two white tigers
