A white lion breeding program has been established at
Inkwenkwezi Private Game Reserve in South Africa's Eastern Cape province. In the 1990s, four white lion cubs were born at the
Papanack Park Zoo outside Ottawa. In 2016, a white lion named "
Zeus" escaped from captivity, and was shot by zoo officials, due to the threat he posed to the public. In March 2017, an attempt to smuggle white lions from
Afghanistan to
Pakistan was quashed. The origin of the lions was unclear at first, before Border Police Commander-General Ne'matullah Haidari said that they were
African. In April 2017, four of the lions were taken to
Kabul Zoo, with the other two lions remaining in
Kandahar Province.
Africa Lory Park Zoo Lory Park Zoo is currently in possession of two adult white lions (Daniel and Heidi), who have produced eight cubs. A litter of three cubs was born in 2012 and all three were hand-reared. A second litter of five cubs was born in 2013; three were removed for their own well-being while the remaining two (a male, Gabriel, and a female, Gazelle) were left with the parents. Both cubs are still with the parents and have not been handled by humans. A male cub was traded for other animals in August 2013 and now lives at the Hodonin Zoo in the Czech Republic.
Kruger and Umfolozi In 1979, three litters containing white lions were recorded in
Kruger National Park. In March, a female lion with three white cubs was observed near Tshokwane. In September, three white cubs (from two different lionesses) were seen. Another litter of white female cubs was captured from Kruger National Park and treated for sarcoptic
mange. A white lion was observed in the
Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve in
Zululand.
Pumba Private Game Reserve Rustenburg Wildlife Rehabilitation Center In 2018, three-year-old Mufasa was in the process of being sold in South Africa after he was taken from an owner illegally keeping him as a pet. An anonymous buyer wanted both Mufasa and a female lion named Soraya, intending to protect both. Over 280,000 signed a petition asking that Mufasa not be auctioned, fearing a buyer might just want the lion for hunting.
Eurasia The
European Association of Zoos and Aquaria opposes the deliberate breeding of white lions.
West Midland Safari Park In 2004, four white lions arrived at
West Midland Safari Park, the only white lions in the
United Kingdom. Mubuto, the male, and three lionesses (Marin, Natasha, and JoAnn; spellings undocumented) settled into the Kingdom of the White Lion exhibit at the park very well. Newspapers and bloggers reported that the four cubs born at West Midland Safari Park, in 2008 had been sold to perform in a Japanese circus. It is alleged that the lions were given to British businessman Jim Clubb, who runs Amazing Animals, which also goes by the name Heythrop Zoological Gardens, in
Chipping Norton,
Oxfordshire. The
animal rights organization Lion Aid, Ltd., quoted Mr. Clubb as saying, first, "No comment," then, "I've no idea if the West Midland Safari Park knew they were going to the circus, that's a matter for them." They are not a
breeding pair.
Jurques Zoo In May 2007 four white lion cubs were born at
Zoo de Jurques in
France. The cubs consisted of one male and three females. However, they needed to be hand fed because their mother was not taking proper care of them, and they died a few weeks after their birth.
Magan Zoo, Abony A private zoo in
Abony,
Hungary recently acquired two white lion cubs, one male and one female lion.
Belgrade Zoo Belgrade Zoo in
Serbia has 12 white lions. In 2010 four were born by two female lions, each weighing about 1.5 kg (3.3 pounds). Four additional white lions were born in April 2011. One more cub was born in October 2013, but died soon after.
Pafos Zoo Pafos Zoo, an Animal and Bird wildlife park in
Cyprus, received two seven-month-old white lion cubs, Zeus and Hera, in 2011. Eight years later, a white lion cub, Simba, was born to the pair.
Tbilisi Zoo In December 2013, four white lion cubs were born at
Tbilisi Zoo in
Georgia. Cubs needed to be hand fed because their mother wasn't taking proper care of them. Another three cubs were born in May 2014.
Karachi Zoo In 2012, the
Karachi Zoo, Pakistan, purchased a juvenile male and juvenile female white lion. They have had 2 cubs. The male died in 2021.
Bukit Gambang Safari Park, Malaysia The first white lions introduced into
Malaysia was in March 2013 when the Safari Park in Bukit Gambang Resort City (Pahang) opened its door to the public. With 2 males and 3 females, the first white lion was born in May 2014 and was named King.
Wildlife Park of Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia A couple of white lions named Zola and Zuri reside in the
Sunway Lagoon's Wildlife Park since April 2015.
Singapore Night Safari Singapore Night Safari, a subsidiary of
Wildlife Reserves Singapore, recently acquired two white lions, a male and a female.
Taman Safari Indonesia Taman Safari acquired six white lions from
Canada in 2018.
Crimea Lion Park A couple of white lions named Milady and Rocky were born at
Taigan Lion Park in Crimea in March 2019.
Americas with their white lion
Plumpton Park Zoo Plumpton Park Zoological Gardens in
Rising Sun, Maryland, has two white lion siblings named Kimba and Jalla
Toronto Zoo In 2012,
Toronto Zoo in
Canada received three white lions to their African zone and replacing the single white lioness the zoo had since 1996. In September 2015, four white lion cubs were born at the zoo.
Cincinnati Zoo In 1998,
Cincinnati Zoo in
Ohio received two white lions from Siegfried & Roy's White Lion exhibit. Prosperity died on January 6, 2020, at the age of 22. Her female cub Gracious died at age 21 on March 3, 2022.
Reino Animal Mexican zoo
Reino Animal, located in
Otumba, State of Mexico, also has a couple of white lions which can be seen at the
"Safari Leones" (Lions' Safari).
The Wild Animal Sanctuary The Wild Animal Sanctuary, located in
Keenesburg, Colorado, has at times had white lions rescued from various for-profit zoos or other exploitative situations. All animals at the sanctuary live out the remainder of their lives in large open-air enclosures free from further exploitation.
Lake Tobias Wildlife Park Lake Tobias Wildlife Park in
Halifax, Pennsylvania, has two white lions residing with a tawny male African lion named Leo.
Oceania National Zoo & Aquarium, Canberra The
National Zoo & Aquarium,
Canberra, Australia is home to 2 White Lions, brother & sister, Jake & Mischka. ====
Kingdom of Zion ==== Kingdom of Zion, a private zoo in
New Zealand, possesses six male white lions and four female white lions.
Mansfield Zoo The
Mansfield Zoo,
Victoria, Australia has three white lions, one age 25 and two age 20 who are brothers from the same litter as the two in the National Zoo & Aquarium. == In the wild within their natural endemic range ==