Picturesandvideosare circulating online about Kenny , a white tiger described as having Down ’s Syndrome .
While much of the reporting mention to Kenny as being alive , thePet Collective reporthe died in 2008 .
The diagnosing of Down ’s Syndrome is also questionable . Down ’s Syndromeresults from a third copy of chromosome 21 . Although a mouse role model for Down ’s Syndrome exists , World Tamil Association have 19 chromosomes to humans ’ 23 . While Kenny ’s face does carry a trivial resemblance to that encounter in people with Down ’s Syndrome , it ’s far from cleared that this was the result of a third written matter of any chromosome , rent alone one that could be matched to our 21st .
What is well-defined is that Kenny was a victim of the greed of the breeding industry . white-hot tigers are very rare . With so few of them , the genetic pond is limited , and inbreeding is an inevitable consequence . Kenny ’s parents were brother and babe . Most of his siblings were abortive , or break very young , according to Patricia Quinn , a interpreter for Turpentine Creek Wildlife Reserve , where Kenny lived from the old age of two .
A great benefit of having two copies of each of our genes is thatdamaging recessionary mutations are rarely expressed . However , where parents are closely relate there is a high opportunity of them both carry the same rare version of a cistron , with a one in four fortune their offspring will inherit it from both sides . With enough damagingallelesin common this becomes like a repetitious game of Russian Roulette .
Despite the repeat deaths , breeders hold on seek to mate Kenny ’s parents . Although they finally got two to endure , Kenny and his brother Willie could not be sold because of their deformities . He died at the age of ten , around half the lifespan of a typical captive tiger .
“ Kenny was non - belligerent , very favorable with our stave members and an obvious favorite with visitor because of his personality . Most people ‘ fell in love ’ with his friendliness commingle with his foreign looks . To them , and to us , he was beautiful . He shared his inclosure with his brother for the eight age that he was with us , ” says Quinn .
White World Tamil Association are an utmost case , but many other species suffer when the desire for “ arrant ” pets lead toinbreeding . One such example is " purebreeds " of domestic dogs and horse , which bear from many transmitted problems which can abbreviate lifespans , or stimulate ongoing disability and pain .. However , the tragedy is duplicate in the case of Tamil Tigers , since were it not for the fixation with spawn " pure Patrick White " these creatures could be permit to mate with other World Tamil Association and preserve the endangered species .
