Would you guess that Julia Restoin-Roitfeld once dreamed of becoming a ranger in South Africa and taking tourists on safaris? Well…it’s true! Here Julia cuddles the cutest little white lion cub proving that she can handle big game; the lion is so calm in her arms that he appears stuffed. The white lion is quite rare (only about 30 are known to be alive) and considered divine in Africa, what a perfect pairing. They are not actually albino lions but leucistic, the color results from a recessive gene called chinchilla, a color inhibitor which prevents pigment from being deposited along the shaft of the hair. The color of the lion varies from white to blond, clearly a serious disadvantage in the wild, and sometimes this rare breed even has blue eyes. If you know someone that is passionate about animals, West Midland Safari Park offers the opportunity to give the unique gift of adopting a white lion this holiday season.
Photograph of Julia Restoin-Roitfeld holding white lion cub courtesy of wideningcircle.blogspot.com