Kenny the white tiger

About this rating. Inbreeding resulted in a white tiger with unusual facial features.

Their show ran in one form or another for over 30 years, but ended when one of the magicians, Roy, was almost killed by one of their white tigers, Mantacore. In fact, they say they practice conscientious breeding to avoid mating tigers that are closely related, and they say they stopped breeding tigers back in Despite this argument, factual information dictates that all white tigers are related. The chance to provide true education, however, was short-lived. But what qualifies as major? Rather than delving into the true dangers of the act, the segment shifted focus to people happily petting cute little cubs.

Kenny the white tiger

Kenny's owner claimed his face was deformed because he kept smashing it into a wall - and there were incorrect claims that his facial deformity was due to Down's syndrome. This rare white tiger - cruelly dubbed the 'ugliest' big cat in the world - was bred through incest by an animal trafficker who wanted to make a small fortune. The animal, called Kenny, had a deformed face that erroneous reports claimed was caused by Down's syndrome. His parents were brother and sister, and all of their cubs, except Kenny and a brother called Willie, who was severely cross-eyed, were stillborn or died at birth. The breeder claimed Kenny's face was deformed because he kept smashing his face into a wall, and he said he hadn't killed the cub at birth because his son though the newborn was "too cute". But Kenny's facial deformity meant he had no chance of being sold to someone wanting a rare tiger as a pet. The big cat - known for his wide face, short snout and huge underbite - was born on a tiger farm in Bentonville, Arkansas, in , and he lived there in filth. The tigers, named after country music stars, were in filthy cages filled with their own faeces and the remains of dead chickens. Emily McCormack, animal curator for Turpentine Creek, told The Dodo in "The gentleman that we rescued him from said he would constantly run his face into the wall. Ms McCormack said some media reports claimed Kenny had Down's syndrome, but he appeared to be mentally normal.

But at least Kenny's story had a better ending than most. For example, H. About this rating.

You can also add newsletters iflscience. IFLScience needs the contact information you provide to us to contact you about our products and services. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For information on how to unsubscribe, as well as our privacy practices and commitment to protecting your privacy, check out our Privacy Policy. While much of the coverage refers to Kenny as being alive, the Pet Collective report he died in What is clear is that Kenny was a victim of the greed of the breeding industry.

About this rating. Inbreeding resulted in a white tiger with unusual facial features. Photographs purportedly showing a "tiger with Down syndrome" have been circulating online for several years. Although these images are real, the animal's appearance is not the result of Down syndrome , but rather of inbreeding. The photographs show Kenny the White Tiger , a big cat that was rescued from a breeding facility by Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in While Kenny's face had unusual features that could bear a superficial resemblance to those of a human with Down syndrome, this was not an official explanation of his appearance:.

Kenny the white tiger

In the same way, one look at Kenny the tiger also makes you realize how many misconceptions surround the white tiger species. And that is how White tigers should never be bred. Hence, we thought to play our role and bring about awareness for all animal enthusiasts. In the year , Kenny made headlines after his breakthrough rescue. Some speculated a lot about how his current appearance related to his abuse. But what exactly did those rumors comprise of? Well, his breeder accused the tiger of slamming his face into walls, causing his obvious deformities. But when researchers dug deep into the real-life facts, they found something else that was more concerning. Yes, he does belong to the white tiger species.

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The breeder claimed Kenny's face was deformed because he kept smashing his face into a wall, and he said he hadn't killed the cub at birth because his son though the newborn was "too cute". When audiences see big cats living with humans, they think it is okay to have a tiger living with them, failing to realize their situation is far from the same. By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy. You can also add newsletters iflscience. Kenny's still missed at Turpentine Creek. Follow Mirror. In Your Area. One look at Kenny and it's clear why white tigers shouldn't be bred. Many issues that are currently being discussed in headlines were completely ignored by the creators of the ABC segment, which we feel was a missed opportunity for creating a more balanced report. Although these images are real, the animal's appearance is not the result of Down syndrome , but rather of inbreeding. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums banned the inbreeding of white tigers in , explaining that the practice was "clearly linked to various abnormal, debilitating, and, at times, lethal, external and internal condition. Kenny's owner claimed his face was deformed because he kept smashing it into a wall - and there were incorrect claims that his facial deformity was due to Down's syndrome. Become a Member. The animal, called Kenny, had a deformed face that erroneous reports claimed was caused by Down's syndrome. The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now.

A white tiger species does not exist, and all white tigers are a product of inbreeding. Inbreeding can lead to severe health issues and deformities, and animal inbreeding by humans often leads to abandonment, euthanization, and other heartbreaking outcomes.

Support Us. Kenny was rescued in at around 2 years old. The breeder claimed Kenny's face was deformed because he kept smashing his face into a wall, and he said he hadn't killed the cub at birth because his son though the newborn was "too cute". White tigers are a staple attraction in Vegas. It's unclear if the disease was a result of his breeding. His parents were brother and sister, and all of their cubs, except Kenny and a brother called Willie, who was severely cross-eyed, were stillborn or died at birth. Subscribe to Love, Dodo. US Celebrity News. It's best to stay away from zoos or other facilities that own white tigers as they're almost always disreputable — the American Zoological Association AZA , the foremost zoo accreditation group in the country, has outright banned members from breeding white tigers. October 1, Turpentine Creek. Skip to main content Daily Dodo Rescue. This rare white tiger - cruelly dubbed the 'ugliest' big cat in the world - was bred through incest by an animal trafficker who wanted to make a small fortune. He loved enrichment, he had a favourite toy