A white tiger cub was found abandoned on a street near
Greece's main zoo
, the Attica Zoological Park near Athens said on Wednesday.
This four-month-old female, who was discovered under a garbage can,
had her hind legs paralyzed
, the same source added.
"
Nobody knows where it came from
or how it got there," park founder
Jean Jacques Lesueur
told the Greek daily Proto Thema, adding that it was probably abandoned on Monday.
A veterinarian at Athens' Attica Zoological Park checks on the white tigress, who is fighting for her life.
Photo: Reuters
"He's in a
terrible state
," he added.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) describes white tigers as a
"genetic anomaly".
They have a genetic mutation that gives them white fur with black stripes.
Often they are the product of consanguinity, which exposes them to a multitude of health problems at birth.
The vets try to revive the puppy by having her play with stuffed animals.
Photo: Reuters
The Attica Zoological Park
is home to more than 2,000 animals
of 290 different species.
The experts indicated that
it is the first time
that they have found one of these animals abandoned, since usually what they rescue the most are puppies, kittens or turtles.
“We had several cases of abandoned animals, but usually they are abandoned pets: puppies, kittens, turtles…
but a tiger?
Never
, ”they said.
In the hind legs of the tigress they found a metal pin stuck that infected the entire area.
Photo: Reuters
The veterinarians indicated that the white tiger cub was most likely
fed an inadequate diet
that caused it to be deficient in vitamins and minerals, making its bones extremely fragile.
They also found that a metal pin was buried
in one of its hind legs
.
Given these acts, international wildlife and animal welfare organizations contacted the zoo to help.
The animal is being subjected to all kinds of studies.
Specialists are cautious when it comes to saying if he will survive.
Photo: Reuters
After reviewing the security cameras, the authorities found that a car approached the garbage containers around midnight, so the Athens authorities are already tracking the license plates but have not yet found the culprits.
Lesueur said that if the tiger survives,
it will have to be relocated to a sanctuary
, as the zoo has no other such animals.
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