2 Rare Albino Alligators Born at a Florida Zoo
Two one-year-old albinos alligators recently are pictured at Paris' aquarium on February 12, 2014. This animals are the result of a captive breeding program aiming at protecting endangered species. ERIC FEFERBERG/AFP via Getty Images

Trainers at a zoo in Kenansville, Florida witnessed a rare event after the animal facility hatched two albino alligators last week.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel said the American alligators, instead of sharing the species' dark grey-green skin, hatchlings came out in colors white and pink, with pale-colored eyes and claws.

Perkins noted that the two albino alligators at the Florida zoo were just two of around 200 albino alligators in the world. The zoo stated that at just over a week old, the albino alligators were thriving.

In a video on social media, Andrew Biddle, an alligator trainer at Wild Florida, said they were really excited about having the two albino alligators. Biddle noted that they would take good care of them and make sure that they would be doing really well before having them out on exhibit.

The two albino alligators were the zoo's second set of albino hatchlings from their 27-year-old mom, Snowflake, and 16-year old dad named Blizzard. Both parent alligators shared the same conditions, the Miami Herald reported.

The new albino hatchlings were from a clutch of 18 eggs that the pair laid earlier in the summer. The eggs were then moved on April 30 to an incubator where the zoo's "Croc Squad" could carefully monitor their progress in a span of two months. So far, only two of the 18 eggs have hatched, the Science Times reported.

Shorter Lifespan of Albino Alligators

Sam Haught of Wild Florida said in a statement that they were so proud of their albino alligator parents, Snowflake and Blizzard. Haught also emphasized the efforts of their "Croc Squad team" in helping the hatchlings. Haught noted that because of the care done by the Croc Squad team, they were hoping that these alligators would attract more visitors, locals, and tourists to their facility.

Despite the care given to them, the albino alligators tend to live shorter due to being prone to more health complications compared to non-albino alligators.

American alligators could make it into their 70s, but the oldest living albino gator, Claude, was already considered a legend at the age of only 25. Since albino alligators lack defense from the ultraviolet light from the sun, Wild Florida has designed a high-shade habitat to minimize their exposure to the damaging rays.

Furthermore, it would be a while before the zookeepers could announce the sex of the hatchlings. The alligators' sex is determined by their incubation temperature.

After they hatched, they were just under a foot long, but the species could grow from 8 to 11 feet long and weigh over hundreds of pounds.

Albinism occurs when a gene mutation is inherited from one or both parents; the condition could also appear in plants, animals, and even human beings. The hereditary mutation caused by albinism disrupts the production of the pigment called melanin, which is responsible for the color of things like skin, fur, and eye color.

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Written by: Jess Smith

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