What genetic condition must both orange parents possess to have a chance of producing a white cub?
Answer
Both must carry the specific recessive gene for white coloration
The inheritance pattern for the white tiger coat follows simple Mendelian genetics involving a recessive trait. For a cub to express the white phenotype, it must inherit the specific recessive allele from both parents. This means that even if both parent tigers appear outwardly as common orange Bengal tigers, they must both be heterozygous carriers of this particular gene. If only one parent carries the gene, or if neither carries it, the offspring cannot exhibit the white coat, highlighting why the appearance of a white cub is statistically infrequent unless breeding efforts are specifically managed to pair known carriers.
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