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ATTLEBORO - The latest addition to the city zoo is expected to make a regal debut Tuesday.

While he's not quite king of his own little jungle at Capron Park Zoo yet, a rare 2-year-old male white lion, is set to emerge about 3 p.m. from his den into the exhibition, where he and two more common, tawny-colored, female lions will be available for viewers well into the future.

"We'll open the door and he'll come out," Zoo Director Jean Benchimol said of the white lion, which has been in residence, but not on display, at the zoo since December.

At least she hopes he'll come out.

He's been out almost daily in the mornings as part of a long, slow-paced conditioning program needed to acclimate him to his new surroundings and the two female lions with whom he will share the exhibit. At first, he was reluctant to enter the exhibit, but eventually became more comfortable, and now is eager to get outside.

But, being a wild animal, it's not always easy to predict behavior, Benchimol said.

"He didn't want to leave when he first had the opportunity," she said. "It took about two weeks to get him to the front of the exhibit."

The white lion, which Benchimol said is one of just a few in the United States, is being added to the zoo population to demonstrate variety within the lion species and to attract zoo patrons.

It's hoped the rarity of the white lion will help bring more people to the zoo, which will enhance its mission to educate patrons about the numerous endangered species on exhibit and how the zoo is helping to preserve them.

Zoo officials hope the white male eventually will mate with one of the females. A mating will likely produce white lion cubs.

It's expected that up to three of four cubs would be white because both females possess the recessive gene for white fur, Benchimol said.

White lions are not considered endangered, per se, because they are genetically identical to the common tawny-colored lions.

However, they are at a disadvantage in the wild because their white fur is rare and considered a valuable trophy for hunters, Benchimol said.

And white cubs are highly visible and vulnerable to predators. Obtaining the white lion was expensive, and the zoo has three sponsors which financed the $40,000 operation.

The main support came from the Friends of Capron Park Zoo, which channeled about $35,000 into the project.

Secondary sponsors were the McDonald's and Coca-Cola companies, which teamed up to donate a portion of soft drink sales from two South Attleboro McDonald's stores, totaling about $5,000. The restaurants also sold photos of the lion, owner Lou Provenzano said.

The animal, which will be named in a contest next month, is on loan from a South African animal preserve, but the zoo had to pay a $30,000 lease fee.

Zoo renovations necessary to accommodate the lion cost about $10,000, Benchimol said.

McDonald's will also pay to advertise the lion on billboards and will continue to promote the animal at its restaurants, Provenzano said.

"It's important for local businesses to support something like this because it's good for the city, children and families and the environment," he said.

The lion, which was born at the Johannesburg Zoo, arrived Dec. 12 from the animal preserve and was put into quarantine for 40 days to make sure it was healthy.

After that, workers began a process to acclimate him to the zoo keepers, his surroundings and the other lions, which have lived at the zoo for more than a year.

The white lion turned out to be very compatible with the other lions and with keepers, Benchimol said.

"His personality really won our hearts," she said. "He's so good with the girls (the female lions). People aren't going to see his color as much as his personality."

While the white lion will eventually assume leadership of the zoo's newly formed pride, he's still submissive to the females, which are about 3 years old.

"He doesn't know he's in charge yet," Benchimol said. "But he will."