White Tiger in the Loro Parque, Puerto de la Cruz
It’s a common misconception that cats hate swimming in particular and water in general.
My experience of the domestic moggy is strictly limited, but I’ve watched Prince, one of the star attractions at Loro Parque, Tenerife’s biggest tourist attraction, enjoying a dip in his private pool on several occasions. He loves it.
Indeed, tigers love water, and white tigers particularly adore it. White tigers have the reputation of being good swimmers but poor climbers.
Which is strange really because the white tiger is not a sub-species as such, but rather a genetic misfit.
White tigers are rarely found in the wild. In about 100 years only 12 white tigers have been seen in the wild in India.
They are almost extinct and most of the ones living are in captivity, mostly in zoos, though rarely are they as well catered for as at Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz.
The white tiger is neither an albino nor a separate sub-species of the tiger, but simply has the rogue gene needed for white colouring.
None of which concerns Prince as he takes his daily dip before stretching out regally in the sun as his many admirers pay homage.
Here you’ll find more about Loro Parque:
Gorillas at Loro Parque
