White lion cubs charm South Africa

Updated 21.00 Fri Oct 10 2008
Keywords: cuddly, cute, sweet, environment, green, conservation, animals, extinction, linda tucker, global white lion protection trust, south africa, white lions, lions

A trio of rare white lion cubs have captured the hearts of South Africans.

Regarded by tribal elders as the most sacred animal on the continent, the white lion has almost been hunted to extinction in the wild.

"This is the first sighting of these amazing animals, which are regarded as sacred animals in Africa" - Linda Tucker

There are only around 500 of them in the world, so the birth of the litter is a huge success for conservationists.

The Global White Lion Protection Trust released four of the animals into the wild in 2006 but the mother died while hunting a year later.

The odds were heavily against the young lions surviving, but they pulled through and formed two different prides.

Two males mated with two wild golden females and one pair now has a new family.

Linda Tucker from the Trust said: "The mother kept them hidden for six weeks and then took them out of the grass.

"This is the first sighting of these amazing animals, which are regarded as sacred in Africa."

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