An exceptionally rare new addition has arrived at Gatorland in Orlando, after an alligator gave birth to an all-white leucistic baby gator.
Gatorland announced the birth on Thursday, and it is thought to be the first leucistic alligator born under human care in history.
“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, said Mark McHugh, President and CEO of Gatorland in a news release.
The leuistic female baby gator was born alongside her normal-coloured brother to parents Jeyan and Ashley.
The baby gator is white all over with blue eyes— (Gatorland/Ken Guzzetti)
They currently only weigh a tiny 96 grams and are only 49cm long, according to the news release.
The twins have been checked over by Gatorland’s experts and seem very healthy and happy, but will not be out for the public to visit them until around next year while they continue to monitor their health and growth.
The small white gator is so rare that the park is being extra careful with her safety and security until she is ready to make her debut to the world.
Gatorland’s CEO Mark McHugh smiling with the new baby— (Gatorland/Ken Guzzetti)
Leucistic alligators are the rarest genetic variation of the American alligator. Unlike the albino alligators, who have pink eyes and are white because of a loss of pigmentation, the leucism causes the alligators’ pigmentation to be white and will often have small splotches of normal pigmentation around them.
They also are adorned with some extremely cute blue eyes.
Due to their light skin, they can’t be in direct sunlight for too long as they will burn.
The baby gator will be on display sometine next year— (Gatorland/Ken Guzzetti)
Leucistic alligators are thought to have only been discovered in 1987, when 18 of them were born and found in swamps in Louisiana
Currently, there are only seven known to be left in the world, but three of them are now being looked after at Gatorland.
The baby’s parents are descendants of the original 18 born in Louisiana, according to Mr McHugh.
Mr McHugh is currently looking for name suggestions for the rare new arrival and her twin brother on Gatorland’s social media.
There are approximately five million American alligators living in the country, mostly found in the freshwater wetland areas of Florida, southern Texas and Louisana, though can be spotted in other southern states and Central America.
