Mimi, Saigon Zoo’s last white lion, dies aged 18

According to a zoo representative, Mimi was born on December 15, 2008. About two weeks before her death, the lioness began refusing food and showed signs of declining health. Veterinarians consulted specialists and Ho Chi Minh City’s animal health authorities, concluding that she was suffering from multiple organ dysfunction associated with old age. Despite intensive care and treatment, she could not be saved.

Mimi arrived at Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens from South Africa in June 2010, together with a male white lion. The male died in March 2022, also due to old age. Following Mimi’s death, the zoo no longer has any lions.

White lions are not a separate species but a rare colour variant of the African lion (Panthera leo). Their pale coats result from a recessive genetic variant that reduces pigmentation, a condition known as leucism rather than albinism.

In the wild, white lions have been recorded primarily in the Timbavati region and surrounding areas near Kruger National Park in South Africa.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the lion is classified as Vulnerable (VU), reflecting significant declines in its population and geographical range.

However, there is no reliable global census establishing how many white lions remain in the wild and in captivity.

The African Lion Database, an initiative of the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Cat Specialist Group, estimates that between 20,000 and 25,000 lions remain in Africa. This 2025 estimate covers the African lion population as a whole, not white lions specifically. Separately, the IUCN cites an estimate of around 670 adult and subadult Asiatic lions in India in 2020.

Three Bengal tiger cubs born at safari park in Vietnam

VOV.VN - Three Bengal tiger cubs have been born at FLC Zoo Safari Park Quy Nhon in the south-central province of Gia Lai, marking a rare and remarkable moment for the wildlife park.