White (Transvaal) Lion Panthera leo melanochaita (prev. leo; prev. krugeri)

The Timbavati (Tsimba-vaati) region of the Kruger National Park in South Africa is the only region where white Lions occur(red) naturally.

These are not albinos but leucistic, like white tigers, they have a gene that results in light coats while retaining colour pigment in eyes, nose and feet pads. Cubs are born completely white (without the spots of golden/tawny lions) but become cream-coloured as they get older. Most have normal tawny eyes but some have blue eyes like the white tigers.

White male lion with mane and white lioness, both now more cream than white.

The young are whiter but go cream with age.

So many have been removed from Kruger for hunting/captivity that the gene may now be very rare in the wild. The same region also has normal golden/tawny lions and both white and tawny are the same subspecies Panthera leo melanochaita (prev. krugeri).