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Sunday in Depth
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| A rare white, male 2-year-old white lion soaks up some rays while on exhibit, unofficially, at the Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro. An official welcoming party and naming contest will take place in April. |
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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.
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| Endangered animals part of zoo's plan |
ATTLEBORO - While Capron Park Zoo's new white lion is not a member of an endangered species, its presence will help its species from becoming extinct and will promote the zoo's effort to save animals that are endangered, said zoo director Jean Benchimol.
White lions are very rare, and the city's zoo will be one of just a few in the nation to have one, Zoo Director Jean Benchimol said.
The scarcity of the animal will help bring more people into the zoo, which will help boost its operating budget, which is dependent on admissions as well as souvenir and food sales, she said.
Operations include the feeding and care of all animals.
The zoo also has other popular animals, like kangaroos and otters, which are also not endangered or rare, but also attract patrons.
Endangered species exhibited by the zoo include sloth bears, snow leopards, golden lion tamerans, black and white ruffed lemurs, Japanese cranes, ocelots and warty pigs.
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| Video/Multimedia |
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The Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro boasts a lion exhibit featuring it's newest addition, a male white lion.; Capron park zoo; White Lion; New rare white lion now on display at Attleboro's Capron Park Zoo.
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| The newest arrival within the Capron Park Zoo’s menagerie of animals is a male white lion, above, who will make his public debut on Tuesday. (Staff photo by MARK STOCKWELL) |
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Age: 2
Born: Johannesburg Zoo, South Africa
Food consumption: 20 pounds of raw beef a day
Current weight: About 420 pounds
Expected fullgrown weight: About 600 pounds
Arrival Date: Dec. 12
Debut Date: April 22
Cost to bring him to the zoo: $40,000 in private donations.
Costs to house and feed: Money for the lion and all zoo animals comes out of revolving funds generated by ticket sales.
Viability Status: Not a threatened species; however, white lions are rare in the wild because they are hunted as trophies and cubs are easily seen by predators.
WHITE LIONS are: Genetically identical to the more common tawny-colored lions. The only difference is the white fur, which is caused by a recessive gene.
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