A White Puma Born in Nicaragua... Only 4 Exist Worldwide

'Albino' Born at the Zoo a Month Ago
Zoo Plans Public Reveal at 3 Months Old

An all-white albino puma was born at a zoo in Nicaragua, Central America. It is known that there are only four white pumas worldwide, including the newborn cub.

On the 23rd (local time), major foreign media and local news reported that one of the three puma cubs born a month ago at the Thomas Belt Zoo in Juigalpa, a central city 140 km from Managua, the capital of Nicaragua, is an albino puma with pure white fur.

This is the first time an albino puma has been born in a Nicaraguan zoo. Albino refers to a rare species with a congenital lack of melanin pigment, resulting in an entirely white body. The other two cubs born alongside the albino puma have brown fur like typical pumas.

Although 30 days have passed since the puma cubs were born, the zoo is minimizing contact with people to ensure the safety of the newborn cubs. As a result, even veterinarians have not yet come into contact with the pumas, so the gender of the albino puma has not been confirmed. If humans approach, the mother puma might mistake the scent and attack the cubs.

Carlos Molina, a veterinarian at the zoo, said, "We are taking all measures to keep the mother puma and her cubs as healthy as possible," adding, "The albino puma is healthy and in good condition." The albino puma shown in photos is covered entirely with white fur, with only the inside of its ears and nose showing a pinkish hue.

The zoo plans to reveal the puma cubs to the public once they reach three months of age.

Pumas, members of the Felidae family, inhabit the entire American continent, from North America including the United States and Canada, through Central America including Mexico and Panama, to South America. The body length of a puma is 1.1 to 1.4 meters, with a tail length of 70 cm and a weight ranging from 30 to 100 kg. Their average lifespan is known to be 12 to 18 years. Puma cubs are born with large dark spots, which gradually disappear starting at three months of age.