Extremely rare golden tiger quadruplets ‘more precious than pandas’ are born in a Chinese zoo

Extremely rare golden tiger quadruplets ‘more precious than pandas’ are born in a Chinese zoo

  • The cubs, one male and three females, were born last Monday in eastern China
  • Footage shows the baby Bengal tigers with blonde fur and red-brown stripes
  • The extremely rare animal’s colour variation is caused by a recessive mutation
  • About 30 of them exist in the world, 62 times more than the number of pandas

A zoo in China has welcomed a set of extremely rare golden tiger quadruplets as adorable pictures show the baby animals snoozing in the incubators.

The four cubs, one male and three females, are said to be in healthy condition after being born on October 19 in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province.

The baby Bengal tigers, with blonde fur and red-brown stripes due to a recessive mutation, belong to a specie which is more rare than the giant panda.

The four cubs, one male and three females, are said to be in healthy condition after being born on October 19 at the Taihu Lake Longemont Paradise in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province

A zoo in China has welcomed a set of golden tiger quadruplets which are believed to be extremely rare.

A zoo in China has welcomed a set of golden tiger quadruplets which are believed to be extremely rare. The handout picture shows one of the baby tigers sleeping in the incubator

The baby Bengal tigers, with blonde fur and red-brown stripes due to a recessive mutation, belong to a specie which is more rare than giant pandas, according to the animal park

The baby Bengal tigers, with blonde fur and red-brown stripes due to a recessive mutation, belong to a specie which is more rare than giant pandas, according to the animal park

The picture shows one of the golden tiger quadruplets enjoying a snooze in its incubator

The picture shows one of the golden tiger quadruplets enjoying a snooze in its incubator

Around 30 golden tigers are believed to exist in the world, about 62 times less than the number of wild pandas, 1,864, according to the latest census in 2014 by World Wildlife

Around 30 golden tigers are believed to exist in the world, about 62 times less than the number of wild pandas, 1,864, according to the latest census in 2014 by World Wildlife

Around 30 golden tigers are believed to exist in the world, about 62 times less than the number of wild pandas, according to figures.

Footage and pictures show the 12-day golden tiger cubs snoozing and frolicking with each other in the incubators.

Their mother, a captive golden tiger, gave birth to her babies last Monday at the Taihu Lake Longemont Paradise, an amusement park featuring a wildlife zoo in eastern Chinese city Huzhou.

The baby tigers are being given round-the-clock care by the zookeepers as their first-time parent has yet to show affection towards her children due to a lack of maternal experience, the animal park said. 

The baby tigers are being given round-the-clock care by the zookeepers as their first-time parent has yet to show affection towards her children due to a lack of maternal experience

The baby tigers are being given round-the-clock care by the zookeepers as their first-time parent has yet to show affection towards her children due to a lack of maternal experience

With a low fertility rate, the golden tigers are extremely rare and even more precious than pandas, according to the zoo. Two of the golden tigers cubs are seen taking a nap together

With a low fertility rate, the golden tigers are extremely rare and even more precious than pandas, according to the zoo. Two of the golden tigers cubs are seen taking a nap together

In a handout picture released by the zoo, two of the cubs are seen play fighting with each other

In a handout picture released by the zoo, two of the cubs are seen play fighting with each other

With a low fertility rate, the golden tigers are extremely rare and even more precious than pandas, according to the zoo. 

‘The golden tiger is a mutant tiger species produced by the genetic mutation of the Bengal tiger,’ the park wrote in a social media post.

‘The breeding rate is lower than that of their close relatives, the white tiger and the snow tiger, and there are fewer of them than the pandas.’ 

Known for its blonde or pale-golden colour and red-brown stripes, the golden tiger’s colouring comes from a recessive trait which affects the production of black colour during the hair growth cycle. 

Known for its blonde fur and red-brown stripes, the golden tiger's colouring comes from a recessive trait which affects the production of black colour during the hair growth cycle

Known for its blonde fur and red-brown stripes, the golden tiger’s colouring comes from a recessive trait which affects the production of black colour during the hair growth cycle

Tiger colourations that vary from the typical orange-with-black-stripe do occur in nature, but in a very small percentage. 

Around 30 golden tigers are believed to exist in the world, about 62 times less than the number of wild pandas, 1,864, according to the latest census in 2014 by World Wildlife.

The giant panda, a once-endangered species, was shifted off the list in 2016 by The International Union for Conservation of Nature after years of intensive conservation efforts led by Chinese experts.

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