Gatorland Orlando, a well-known alligator park in Florida, commemorated the extraordinary hatching of a solid white leucistic alligator, marking a significant occurrence since the discovery of a leucistic alligator nest in Louisiana 36 years ago.
In a Facebook post, Gatorland Orlando expressed the rarity of the event, describing it as "beyond rare; it is absolutely extraordinary and the first one in the world."
This unique leucistic alligator adds to the minuscule population of only seven surviving leucistic alligators globally, with three of them residing in Gatorland itself.
Explaining the rare genetic variation, park officials differentiated leucistic alligators from albino alligators, highlighting that leucistic alligators have white coloration with patches or splotches of normal coloration on their skin. Unlike albino alligators, which have pink eyes and a complete loss of pigment, leucistic alligators possess brilliant blue eyes. Due to the lack of darker skin pigmentation, they are susceptible to sunburn and cannot tolerate direct sunlight for extended periods.
Gatorland invited the public to participate in naming the remarkable white female alligator and her normal-colored brother in the comments section of their post.
The birth of this rare white alligator presents valuable opportunities for scientific research and conservation efforts to safeguard this distinct species. Gatorland Orlando plans to exhibit the newborn white alligator to the public in early 2024, providing an opportunity for visitors to witness this extraordinary wonder of nature.