Down syndrome tiger

Down syndrome tiger

Are you searching Down syndrome tiger? If yes then, discover the heartbreaking truth about the “animals with Down syndrome” that have swept the internet in recent years in this segment. Firstly, let’s discuss what the Down syndrome tiger is then we will go up for its details. 

What is a Down syndrome tiger?     

Down syndrome in animals happens when an animal’s cells contain a third copy of chromosome 22, they have Down syndrome, which is also known as trisomy 22. In Down syndrome tigers, these animals have a triple chromosome number of 22 chromosomes. The tigers have 38 chromosomes, while some of the species have 36 chromosomes. 

Signs of Down syndrome tiger:

The Down syndrome tigers will have the following signs;

  • A sagging face, particularly the bridge of the nose.
  • Their face looks like a bulldog.
  • Eyes that are almond-shaped and slant up.
  • A narrow neck.
  • Ears are small.
  • A tongue that protrudes from the mouth.
  • Tiny white spots on the eye’s iris (colored part).
  • Hands and feet are small.
  • A single line running across the palm (palmar crease)

Kenny- The Down syndrome tiger:

Now, let’s discuss the case of a Down syndrome tiger named Kenny. You may have seen a picture of this tiger. Some specific “animals with Down syndrome” that frequently appear on the internet have even gained their online quasi-followings. Turpentine Creek Wildlife Reserve in Arkansas rescued Kenny the tiger, a rare white cat, from an unethical breeder in 2002 and lived there until he died in 2008, maybe among them.

White tigers are extremely rare in the first place, and Kenny was particularly unusual because, in addition to his stunning white coat, he had genetic facial deformities such as an abnormally short snout and a broad face. Then, after looking at Kenny’s face, online publishers and social media users made the giant leap to the result that he had Down syndrome. It is taking some genuine care for scrolling through Google results to find pages that publish the truth: the concept of animals with Down syndrome is almost entirely false.

Kenny’s deformities result from generations of inbreeding rather than the type of chromosomal mutation that causes Down syndrome in humans. Because white tigers like Kenny are so rare in nature but so sought after for their unique fur, most of those still alive today are the result of aggressive breeding programs that heavily rely on inbreeding between white tigers to keep the white fur trait alive.

According to the American Zoological, breeding practices that increase the physical expression of single rare alleles (i.e., rare genetic traits) have been linked with various abnormal, debilitating, and, at times, brutal external and internal conditions and characteristics Association. Even though the sad truth about Kenny has long been known, many people still believe he has Down syndrome. 

Ending notes:

We all should serve animals with love and care. They are a part of our environment. Such practices of breeding should be banned if they are leading these innocent tigers towards Down syndrome tiger. 

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