A San Francisco museum is marking the 30th birthday of its resident albino alligator, Claude. The California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park has scheduled a month-long series of events to celebrate the milestone.
Claude was born on September 15, 1995, at an alligator farm in Louisiana and arrived at the museum’s swamp exhibit in 2008. According to the museum, “Claude was born with albinism, which means his body cannot produce melanin. Claude’s skin is actually translucent, but appears white.”
Alligators can live up to 70 years in captivity. Claude now measures 10 feet long and weighs 300 pounds.
The celebration includes daily meet-and-greets with a mascot version of Claude, as well as giveaways such as pins, stickers, temporary tattoos, and plush toys. There will also be story times featuring a new book about Claude. A seated dinner is planned for Wednesday, September 17, and Claude received a special “fish cake” on Sunday, September 14. Additionally, there was a plush toy treasure hunt around San Francisco and some local restaurants are offering themed meals.
The Steinhart Aquarium at the California Academy of Sciences has displayed alligators for over a century; however, Claude is its first albino alligator.
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