The unique "pale" tiger, trapped in the photographer's lens, may be the only one in the wild

In the forests of India was discovered an incredibly rare "pale" wild tiger. This fine animal, as it should, is the only one in the country, because for decades nobody reported meeting with such specimens.

Who discovered the unique animal?

Amazing images of the "pale" big cat were made by photographer Nilandjan Ray (who is fond of wildlife) as he rode the Nilgiri biosphere reserve in southern India. He agreed with the authorities' request not to disclose the exact location of the animal, so as not to make it a bait for poachers or hunters.

Ray rode with his guide and noticed a tiger of the usual kind, walking about 60 meters along the same road as them. However, the approaching car frightened the predator, and he hid in the bushes.

Photographer's comment

"When we slowly passed by this site, we saw a" pale "tiger sitting on a hillside half hidden by the underbrush that looked at us," Ray told the interview. - He looked rather curious and cute, not scary or aggressive. Then came another tiger of normal red color, which came much closer to us. "

When Ray and the guide approached, the "pale" tiger was still in place, allowing the photographer to take a few pictures of this incredibly rare animal. The size of this tiger suggests that he is still a teenager. Ray and his guide could not clearly see a tiger of normal color to determine its age. "They can be brothers or sisters, or a mother and a baby," Ray says.

Why there are "pale" tigers?

"Pale" tiger can not be called neither white nor albino, because it is slightly different. It is believed that such tigers have a genetic mutation that causes a morphism of color, although the exact gene is unknown. The last recorded case of monitoring a "pale" tiger in the wild occurred in the 1980s in a completely different part of the country. Belinda Wright, founder of the Wildlife Conservation Society of India, says that the tiger was not as "pale" as this one.

Recessive trait

The last white tiger, seen in the wild, was shot in 1958. Since then no one has seen them. This indicates that a recessive allele is responsible for this color, which is extremely rare among the surviving populations of wild tigers. Probably, this tiger is the most "pale" of all, which now exist.