A rare golden tiger with cream-colored fur and big eyes has become an internet sensation at a zoo in northern Thailand, drawing crowds to a trained show of tricks.
Rarely colored Bengal tigers like brother and sister Ava and Luna, both 3 years old, are only seen in animal breeding centers or zoos rather than in the wild, said Patchari Pipatwongchai, a tiger trainer at Night Safari in Chiang Mai. He says there is no.
The captive-born twin sisters made their debut at the zoo in June and became a sensation when they were featured on social media platforms.
They perform four days a week, drawing packed crowds to the zoo's 500-seat arena, where they perform tricks alongside their trainers.
Virnya Punyokit, a visitor from Chiang Mai, said, “When I see this tiger, I think it's incredibly intelligent and capable of such amazing performances.'' “I'm glad there are animals here.”
The animal's rare pigmentation is due to a recessive gene, giving the animal thick pale golden fur and legs, and faint orange stripes, according to the Thailand National Parks website.
Before the tigress, another Internet animal, a baby hippo called Mu Daeng, attracted thousands of visitors at another Thai zoo south of the capital, Bangkok.
