Current:Home > Invest'Beyond rare' all-white alligator born in Florida. She may be 1 of 8 in the world.-InfoLens
'Beyond rare' all-white alligator born in Florida. She may be 1 of 8 in the world.
View Date:2024-12-23 18:26:57
More than 35 years after a rare nest of white alligators was discovered in a Louisiana swamp … a star is born!
A leucistic all-white alligator was born this summer at Gatorland, the alligator park in Orlando, Florida, said in a news release Thursday.
Leucistic alligators are the rarest genetic variation of the alligator with white coloration, patches of normal pigmentation and blue eyes, the release said. They differ from albino alligators, which have complete loss of pigmentation and pink eyes.
The all-white female was born in August along with a brother gator with normal coloring. Gatorland's veterinary staff said they both received clean bills of health, though the all-white female will be sensitive to the sun.
Leucistic alligator baby makes 8 known in the world
In a Gatorland YouTube video, CEO and president Mark McHugh, said there are only seven other known leucistic alligators in the world, and three of them are at Gatorland.
The new girl was born to a normal-colored mom that carried the recessive gene and a leucistic dad. The release said it is the first leucistic alligator born in human care.
"This is beyond 'rare,' it is absolutely extraordinary!” McHugh said in the news release. "These are incredibly special animals in the reptile world, and we are being very careful with their safety and security. 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."
Help name the rare gator and her brother
Gatorland is asking for the public's help in naming the special gator and her brother. The comments on the Facebook post show some creative ideas:
- Pearl and Emerald
- Barbie and Ken
- Elsa and Olaf
- Grits and Gumbo
Leucistic snake:'He is stunning.' MS wildlife rehabber nurses battered, rare white snake back to health
The public also helped pick the name "Jawlene," in honor of Dolly Parton, for an alligator found with is top jaw missing.
veryGood! (74935)
Related
- Police identify 7-year-old child killed in North Carolina weekend shooting
- World population projected to peak at 10.3 billion in 2080s, new United Nations report says
- Massachusetts secures $1 billion in federal funds to help replace Cape Cod bridges
- Trump rally shooter killed by Secret Service sniper, officials say
- Benny Blanco Reveals Selena Gomez's Rented Out Botanical Garden for Lavish Date Night
- Euro 2024: Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham among players to watch in Spain vs. England final
- Trump rally attendee says he saw alleged shooter move from roof to roof
- Score Top Holiday Gifts Up to 60% Off at Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale 2024: Jo Malone, Le Creuset & More
- Celtics' Jaylen Brown calls Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo a 'child' over fake handshake
- Delta apologizes after reacting to post calling employees' Palestinian flag pins Hamas badges
Ranking
- Can I take on 2 separate jobs in the same company? Ask HR
- One Tech Tip: Protecting yourself against SIM swapping
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott demands answers as customers remain without power after Beryl
- Apple app store consumer class action set for February 2026 jury trial
- Kathy Bates likes 'not having breasts' after her cancer battle: 'They were like 10 pounds'
- Travis Kelce Reacts to Fan's Taylor Swift Diss After He Messes Up Golf Shot
- Richard Simmons, a fitness guru who mixed laughs and sweat, dies at 76
- Acclaimed video artist Bill Viola dies at 73, created landmark `Tristan und Isolde’ production
Recommendation
-
Chris Wallace will leave CNN 3 years after defecting from 'Fox News Sunday'
-
After Beryl, Houston-area farmers pull together to face unique challenges
-
Shannen Doherty, Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed star, dies at age 53
-
Alec Baldwin's involuntary manslaughter case dismissed in Rust shooting
-
Bev Priestman fired as Canada women’s soccer coach after review of Olympic drone scandal
-
Why Prince William and Kate Middleton Are Praising Super Trooper Princess Anne
-
Tour de France results, standings: Tadej Pogačar extends lead with Stage 14 win
-
Bubba, a 375-pound sea turtle found wounded in Florida, released into Atlantic Ocean