As you have noticed, this tiger is different from those we used to see. This one is called a golden tabby tiger. It is a tiger with an extremely rare color variation, which is caused by a recessive gene and is normally found only in captive tigers. But it is not a separate species of tigers, it’s just a color form.

Golden tigers also tend to be larger and, due to the effect of the gene on the hair shaft, have softer fur than their orange relatives. There are currently believed to be fewer than 30 of these rare tigers in the world, but many more carry the gene.