White Lions

White lions are not albinos as many people think, as they are not a subspecies from the lion, latin name "Panthera Leo Krugeri". They were first seen in the southern part of Africa, in the Timbavati area, close to the Kruger NP in South Africa. That is back in the late 1930's. Their white or brighter color is caused by a recessive trait derived from a less-severe mutation in the same gene that causes albinism.

Sights of white lions in the wild are extremely seldom and as far I have found out up to now I only know from two sights in the wild, and reacently one in a game reserve close to the Kurger NP.

That is why I am happy to have visit the "Lions Park" some years ago close to Johannesburg. They have some white lions and they are kept also there for conservation purposes, which is done as I learned during my visit there, in partnership with other similar instituitions. Because of that, white lions have been reintroduced into their natural habitat and have been hunting and breeding successfully without human intervention for a significant amount of time.

When I was making the photo this male was sitting together with a female just right to him. At the time I started making the picture a second female ( shown on the image ) came in and sit in front of both. For that reason she is not fully sharp and I decided for a vertical crop from the original horizontal framing so that the male with its intense stare is isolate a bit better from the rest of the subjects in the photo.

CANON EOS 30D, EF2.8/300, F5.6, 1/500s, ISO100, bean bag on car window

Photoshp RAW import, curves, sharpening, cropped as described

Since the year is coming to its end, I would like to wish all at NPN "Happy Holidays" and a healthy and successful 2016.