Meet Kenny, an inbred white Tiger with Down syndrome
Kenny is a white tiger that was ‘selectively’ inbred while in captivity in the United States. As zoos and exotic pet stores along with consumers have increased the demand for white tigers, breeders have attempted to recreate the ideal white tiger — large snout, blue eyes, white fur — by relying on a limited pool of white tigers that are in captivity.
What is clear is that Kenny was a victim of the greed of the breeding industry. White tigers are very rare. With so few of them, the genetic pool is limited, and inbreeding is an inevitable consequence. Kenny’s parents were brother and sister. Most of his siblings were stillborn, or died very young, according to Patricia Quinn, a spokesperson for Turpentine Creek Wildlife Reserve, where Kenny lived from the age of two.Despite the repeated deaths, breeders kept trying to mate Kenny’s parents. Although they eventually got two to live, Kenny and his brother Willie could not be sold because of their deformities.
The result? With such a limited gene pool, white tigers are born with an astoundingly high rate of deformities and health issues. For example, Kenny is mentally retarded, has significant physical limitations, and is considered the first tiger with down syndrome. The pictures, in many ways, speak to the condition that Kenny and other white tigers are in.Even in his condition he still looks adorable. (use next and prev to navigate between pages)
#1.
stephanie 1 day ago
I don’t like the way you called the white tiger mentality retarded. ..it is like calling a down syndrome that..it’s ubsurd and wrong…please make better choices on words next time
Thanks
Dana 1 day ago
To say that Down Syndrome is caused by inbreeding is disgusting. Please rethink your logic. Please tell me you wouldn’t use this same language for a human. “Even in his condition, he still looks adorable”.
Becky 1 day ago
They are not saying inbreeding is the cause of down syndrome, they are no scientific facts of that, all they say is he is “considered” to have down syndrome. He is aadorable. And to say ‘would you speak to a human like that’ humans and animals are equal. Humans and animals should be treated the same no matter what animal it is.
Thank you
Marisol 1 day ago
The terms used for this condition are subject to a process called the euphemism treadmill. This means that whatever term is chosen for this condition, it eventually becomes perceived as an insult. The terms mental retardation and mentally retarded were invented in the middle of the 20th century to replace the previous set of terms, which were deemed to have become offensive. By the end of the 20th century, these terms themselves have come to be widely seen as disparaging, politically incorrect, and in need of replacement. As of 2013, the term “mental retardation” is still used by the World Health Organization in the ICD-10 codes, which have a section titled “Mental Retardation” (codes F70–F79). In the next revision, the ICD-11 is expected to replace the term “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability” or “intellectual developmental disorder,” which the DSM-5 already uses. The term “mental retardation” is still sometimes used in professional medical settings around the world.