Rare white tiger quadruplets will melt your heart

Four white tiger cubs were born at the Borysew zoo in Poland on March 21 after four years of searching for a suitable mother, according to Reuters.

There are only 200 white tigers left in the world, and this crew is the only set of quadruplets to have ever been born.

Contrary to popular belief, the tigers are not albino -- they simply have a rare recessive gene.

"The most important thing is to properly match (the tigers) genetically. It took us a few years to find a male and then a female," Borysew zoo owner Andrzej Rabich told Reuters. "There aren't any of these white cats in the wild."

Animal rights groups are not pleased with the inbreeding that has been necessary to conserve the existence of rare white tigers. The process can offspring with genetic defects and weak immune systems, according to the American Zoological Association.

Thankfully, Borysew zoo told Reuters that it only affects one gene, which changes the tiger's colors but doesn't put them in danger.

See photos of the tigers: