Albino Alligator!!

Looks like he has a big butt!

joshdhensley
Was that a pond liner used for the albino gator tank?

Just a few comments on the "white alligators." There are quite a few albino and leucistic American Alligator specimens in zoos, parks, etc. There are so many out there I've lost track.

In addition to the above-mentioned, off the top of my head, The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park has quite a few; The Palm Beach Zoo just got one, Jungle Island in Miami has at least one (that park just changed its name from Parrot Jungle Island) and another zoo in a northern or midwestern state just obtained one. There are/were two specimens at the Florida Aquarium at Tampa Bay.

Jungle Island also has the only xanthic alligator I've ever seen - a gorgeous yellowish-pearl gator that resides in the reptile stage pool.

Regarding the "liner" of the albino enclosure at Alligator Adventure, it appears that the keepers probably painted the surface of the pool black, as most, if not all, zoos do to pools displaying "white" crocodilians. Does resemble a liner, doesn't it? I doubt that it is, as liners really aren't durable enough for larger crocodilians.

Finally, the "stumpy" alligator you saw was a victim of a congenital malformation. This occurs during the embryonic development of the specimen. It could be a result of genetics (very young and very old mothers sometimes produce such offspring), malnutrition to the embryo, or even climatic factors, i.e. nest temperature, which, as you may know, determines the sex of crocodilians.

Back in the day I was a volunteer at the Audubon Aquarium in NOLA.
They had one of the original 18 on display there. As far as I know he is still there.
But there were a few more found right about the time I was there & were put on display(originally) at the zoo. The white(leucistic) alligators are stunning!
Also, I believe a breeding program was set up somewhere outside of New Orleans.
I haven't heard(or thought to look up) anything about them since Katrina. If I can dig anything else up about them I will post it.

Gerry Savoie in Cutoff Louisiana hatches out about a dozen Albino Gators ever year at his gator meat farm. I think he is contracted to sell them to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park.

Originally Posted by John E Dove

Gerry Savoie in Cutoff Louisiana hatches out about a dozen Albino Gators ever year at his gator meat farm. I think he is contracted to sell them to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park.

Apparently he has not hatched any since Katrina hit. The parents have been displaced or died from the storm. I dont think St Augustine has a exclusive contract as I just purchased one!

And of course the one's that were stollen this past month in Brazil:

Rare Albino Alligators Stolen in Brazil

Stan Lehman in São Paulo, Brazil
Associated Press
January 7, 2008
Seven rare albino alligators recently disappeared from a Brazilian university zoo, and authorities suspect animal smugglers stole them.

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The apparent theft at the Federal University of Mato Grosso was carried out between last Monday, when the alligators were last fed, and last Wednesday morning, when a zookeeper noticed their disappearance, zoo director Itamar Assumpção told the Associated Press.

There were no signs of a break-in, he added.

"We believe they may have been stolen to be sold abroad or to animal smugglers here in Brazil," said a Brazilian police official, who asked not to be identified because of departmental regulations.

Brazil accounts for about 15 percent of the world's illegal animal trading, which is worth 10 billion to 20 billion U.S. dollars annually, according to Renctas, a Brazilian non-governmental organization that combats animal trafficking.

These alligators are extremely rare and are worth about 9,700 U.S. dollars apiece, zoo Director Assumpção said.

"We know of no albino alligator born in the wild, probably because it would be impossible for it to survive," he said. "The lack of coloring would make it difficult if not impossible for them to hide from predators."

The albino alligators, born around 2005, are the result of ten years of inbreeding that began shortly after a breeder sent the zoo a male and female alligator that were much lighter than normal.

The suspected thieves left behind one alligator, which belonged to the same brood as those stolen. Another two are currently at the São Paulo Aquarium, Assumpção said.

Originally Posted by The BoidSmith

And of course the one's that were stollen this past month in Brazil:

The pictures I saw of the animal that was left was a albino caimen. Not an alligator.

Well, they referred to them as alligators, I didn't check the picture. My bad...

Originally Posted by The BoidSmith

Well, they referred to them as alligators, I didn't check the picture. My bad...

LOL believe me,i asked the same question when the animal was offered for sale. Then I checked the pics for myself. Stupid news media!