Rare golden tigresses with cream-coloured coats and wide eyes at a zoo in northern Thailand have become internet sensations, captivating fans with their unusual features.
Unusually coloured Bengal tigers like siblings Ava and Luna, both 3 years old, are found only in animal breeding centres or zoos rather than in the wild, said Patcharee Pipatwongchai, the tiger trainer at Chiang Mai’s Night Safari.
The rare big cats are sometimes called a ‘golden tabby tiger’, are even more rare than white tigers.
The twin sisters, born in captivity, made their debut at the zoo in June and became a sensation after they were featured on its social media platforms.
“Seeing this tiger, I think it’s incredibly intelligent and capable of delivering surprising performances like this, I’m happy that Chiang Mai has such smart animals as a key attraction,” said visitor Wirunya Punyokit from Chiang Mai.
The animals’ rare pigmentation results from recessive genes, the Thai National Parks website said, which give them thick, pale gold fur and legs and faint orange stripes.
Prior to the tigresses, another Thai zoo south of capital Bangkok drew thousands of visitors with another internet animal sensation, a baby hippo called Moo Deng.
