A few years ago I had the opportunity to see for tge first time a pair of white lions at the zoo in the Transylvanian city of Brașov. It was a remarkable experience because I knew there were extremeli few specimens left in the world.
As a matter of fact, at that time there were only about 300 white lions living in captivity and a lot fewer in the wild, so it was easy to understand how endangered this species was and still is. White lions were endemic to the Timbawati region and the Kruger National Park in South Africa until they were hunted to extinction. Fortunately they were reintroduced in their natural habitat in 2006, but obviously they are still at risk as rheir true enemies, humans, will keep on trying to hunt them down.
White lions, like all creatures, should live out in the heart of nature, but under the current circumstances maybe it's better to be in captivity. The pair I could admire at the Brașov Zoo will probably never experience the sweet taste of freedom, but at least they're well taken care of.
As I was looking at them basking in the sun on a hot summer afternoon, I tried to imagine what it was like to see them in action in the wild, hunting in the vast savannahs of Africa. Maybe they had such dreams too, but since they were born in captivity, they lack the necessary skills to come with living in nature.
Even so, they still impressed me with their strength, beauty, and unique aspect, so I hope this extraordinary species will have a better future. It's up to humans to make sure that these impressive felines will grow in numbers and once again roam freely across the grasslands and savannahs of Africa!
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