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News Bites continued
PROGRAMS Snowflake in Summer
If you visited The Swamp this summer, you
probably saw our special guest, Snowflake
Albino Alligator. At almost seven feet long and
weighing 85 pounds, Snowflake has a lot of
growing to do before he reaches his full size.
But, when you see him in his habitat, you are
seeing an alligator that would never reach
this size in the bayous of Louisiana. In the wild, into their native habitats, making them easy
albino gators rarely, if ever, reach their teenage targets for predators.
years, let alone make it to adulthood. That’s
because these alligators aren’t afforded the
same protections as their darker brethren.
Albinism, or the lack of melanin in an
animal’s body, isn’t as rare in nature as you
might imagine. While their white color and
pink eyes are striking and beautiful, albino
animals are more prone to health issues and
attacks from predators.
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AAMLLEIGRAICTAONR
For albino reptiles, basking in the sun to
regulate their body temperature would lead
to significant skin damage, because their lack
of melanin makes it easy for them to become
sunburnt. Unfortunately, Snowflake’s pink
eyes come with a downside, too. Like his skin,
Snowflake’s eyes are easily burnt and sensitive
to light, so he is unable to see as well in bright
light. In addition, albino animals rarely blend
Luckily, Snowflake has none of these
concerns living here at the zoo! He is
visiting from St. Augustine Alligator Farm
in Florida, and will be at Brookfield Zoo
through September, before returning to
his winter home.