It’s the result of a recessive gene that must be found in both parents to manifest in the child. White tiger mothers can have white and normal-colored babies in the same litter, IIRC. It can happen in the wild, but it is exceedlingly rare, due to the drastically reduced number of tigers that remain in the wild today.
Less than 4500 Indian tigers (which includes the subspecies Bengal, which can carry the recessive white genes), 200 Siberians, between 1k and 1850 Indo-Chinese tigers alive in Thailand and Vietnam, and only 500 Sumatran tigers remain in the wild today. (Information from WWF at http://www.wwf.org.uk/core/wildlife/fs_0000000034.asp)
I’m pretty sure they run a big – quality – breeding program. Eh, no excuses, this is the internet. KAZAM
If it wasn’t for the showmanship and bullshit, tigers would not exist at all. Sorry, that’s reality.
Try to tell the Siberians and Indians they should not shoot tigers as their kids get carried off, by whatever. Could be wolves or humans, but tigers will always top the suspect list in those areas.
I prefer to mock excessively earnest posts by humor-impaired Dopers who need to lighten up.
Sorry, dude, but if you get in a cage with a 600lb killing machine with three inch claws and long pointy teeth, and crack a whip in its face, then don’t be too surprised if it gets pissed off and tries to take a ham-sized chunk out you. Furthermore, don’t be too shocked if some people find this vaguely amusing, or even ironic, in an Alanis Morrisette sort of way.
And no-one, as far as i can see, was wishing harm on Roy. People were just pointing out what Roy probably knew all along: if you do this sort of dangerous shit, you’re likely to have it bite you on the ass eventually–in the case of tigers, maybe literally.
Laughing at something like this does not signify callousness or indifference to suffering. It’s similar to laughing at people who take a fall while doing stupid things on those TV shows like “Funniest Home Videos” or “Maximum Exposure.” When someone whom you don’t know personally does something stupid and dangerous, and suffers the predictable result, then plenty of people find it funny. And it’s possible to find it funny while also hoping that the person suffers no serious, lasting harm.
If you think that villagers knocking off tigers suspected of eating children is the main reason for the drastic decline in the world’s tiger population, may i suggest that you look a little more closely into the issue. The WWF link provided by Cerri is a good start.
A major cause of tiger decline is habitat encroachment, which forces tigers into ever smaller areas, where they encounter one another more often than necessary and have problems finding enough food. And, of course, expanding towns and villages also brings tigers into contact with more people, increasing the chances for death–of both the tigers and the people. New wildlife reserves in India are attmepting to address the porblem, but i a country of almost a billion people, it’s going to be difficult.
Even without habitat encroachment, many tigers die at the hands of poachers, who supply the fur to the tourist trade, so that some wealthy fuckwad can walk all over the thing in his living room, or hang it on the wall. Poachers also supply the bones, teeth and other body parts for use in compunds and tonics sold in Taiwan, China and Korea, so that other fuckwads can pretend they have a tiger’s strength by ingesting some of its body.
[on preview, i see from your earlier posts that you have worked with tigers before, so you probably already knew all that anyway. :)]
As far as Siegfried and Roy are concerned, i’m somewhat conflicted. Their breeding program is a good thing, especially when so few tigers are left in the wild. I also have little doubt that they love the animals and care for them well. I still don’t have much time, however, for the idea of making these creatures jump through hoops.
Making fun of Siegfried and Roy is like shooting ducks in your bathtub. We all do it? Bad example. Anyway…
I hope he pulls through. Tiger mauling is one predictible result of their jobs, but Siegfried and Roy have a pretty amazing track record with tigers.
The “hoops” part pays for the “breeding” part. I’m not saying tigers love doing shows, but I can’t say they would necessarily hate it. Tigers pretty much have their own ideas about what they want to do, subject to change without further notice.
I would love to save tiger habitat. Of course, I live here.
I’m of the mind that tigers don’t enjoy performing, although they do love playing. Again, while I haven’t heard anything to the effect that S&R abused their tigers, let’s get serious and admit that they are millionaires because of these magnificant felines. It’s sad that we have to keep them in captivity because we’re destroying their natural habitat.
It’s a black fly in your Chardonnay…isn’t it ironic?
What would that be anyway? My best guess is cross-chromatic entomo-metaphoric, in the context of the song. Meh.
What would be ironic is for Roy to work a long and fruitful career with his cats, then one night after his retirement be suffocated by a tiger rolling over in its sleep.
After seeing the Amazing Johnathan’s act and learning, through the magic of puppetry, how close Siegfried and Roy are to their tigers at night, the thread title seems like old news.
**An update on Roy Horn **[ul]The tragic incident has left Siegfried without Roy for the first time in more than 30 years, and now the resort faces tough choices to plug the hole. An MGM Mirage spokesman said the hotel and casino has not yet found a headliner to keep visitors flowing into this prized Las Vegas property. Company officials said Horn’s recovery would be long and hard.[/ul]I speak for many Dopers when I wish you a speedy return to the stage, Roy!
Larry King did a special on them last night and interviewed other Vegas legends (Penn Gillette, Wayne Newton), as well as employees of the show. It really was heartbreaking- the guy is in bad shape for sure. Sigfried is going to be on King tomorrow night, FYI.
Still living in the same house, I believe.