White alligator born in Gatorland (Not pictured) — Courtesy: Shutterstock — You Touch Pix of EuToch
A Florida park with an alligator theme has given birth to an extremely uncommon kind of white alligator and is currently asking the public for suggestions on a name.
The pale leucistic gator had just broken out of its shell when Mark McHugh, president and chief executive of Gatorland, posted a statement on Instagram with the caption, “Oh boy, we have some exciting news here at Gatorland.”
“For the first time since a nest of leucistic alligators was discovered in the swamps of Louisiana 36 years ago, we have the first birth of a solid-white alligator ever recorded from those original alligators. This is beyond rare, it is extraordinary and the first one in the world,” McHugh added.
The rarest genetic variant found in the American alligator species is found in leucistic alligators. They feature brilliant blue eyes and patches of normal skin tone, unlike albino gators, which have pink eyes and total pigment loss.
Leucistic gators are extremely sensitive to sunlight, just as albinos.
The Orlando-based park announced that Jeyan and Ashley welcomed a new girl gator and her brother with a regular coloration. They asked visitors to Gatorland’s social media page to pick a name for the new baby. Veterinarians report that both animals are in good health; they are 49cm long and weigh 96g at the moment.
“We plan to have them on display early next year so guests can see them, learn about them, and fall in love with them like we have,” McHugh said.
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Melissa’s career in writing started more than 20 years ago. Today, she lives in South Florida with her husband and two boys.
