Golden Tabby Tiger

India has records wild golden tigers which date back as far as the early 1900s. There have been suggestions that the tendency for this coloration gradually developed in a small group tigers living in an area heavy clay concentration. The unusual color would provide these tigers with extra camouflage. The theory remains unproven, however, inbreeding a small isolated group tigers could cause the recessive golden tiger gene to emerge if at least one those tigers carried the recessive gene for the golden color and bred with its own fspring (as has happened in captivity).
Golden tigers may occur in the same litter as stripeless or nearly stripeless tigers. This is due to the effect the wide-band gene on the normal orange color and the white color respectively. The wide band mutation is not found solely in white tigers and may also be carried by normal coloured tigers, however carriers the wide band gene are probably no longer found in the wild. Wild-born golden tigers might be disadvantaged as they are less well camouflaged than normal orange tigers. The last known wild Golden tigers were shot outside Mysore Pradesh, India in the early 20th century. But there are just under 30 left in captivity.