Florida is known for its abundance of unique wildlife, from manatees to panthers to alligators. But among these animals, one stands out even more: the ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ alligator.
And at Wild Florida Zoo in Kenansville, visitors can see these beautiful creatures up close.
Wild Florida Zoo Is One Of The Few Places Visitors Can See These Rare Animals
Aʟʙɪɴᴏ alligators are a rare ɢᴇɴᴇᴛɪᴄ ᴍᴜᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ of the American alligator, and they are almost entirely white with pinkish ᴇʏᴇs. There are believed to be only about 50 of them in the world, and they are primarily found in ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ.
This is because their lack of natural ᴄᴀᴍᴏᴜꜰʟᴀɢᴇ makes them more ᴠᴜʟɴᴇʀᴀʙʟᴇ to ᴘʀᴇᴅᴀᴛᴏʀs in the wild.
But at Wild Florida Zoo, these ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ alligators are given a safe and secure home where visitors can observe them and learn about their unique biology.
The zoo’s ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ alligators, named Snowflake and Blizzard, are around 12 years old and roughly 8 feet long. They were both born in ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠɪᴛʏ and were donated to the zoo by a private collector in 2017.
While ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ alligators may look beautiful and unique, they ꜰᴀᴄᴇ their own set of ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇs. For one, their pinkish ᴇʏᴇs are more light-sᴇɴsɪᴛɪᴠᴇ and often kept in low-light environments to protect their vision.
Unfortunately, they are also more ᴘʀᴏɴᴇ to sᴋɪɴ ᴘʀᴏʙʟᴇᴍs and more sᴜsᴄᴇᴘᴛɪʙʟᴇ to ᴅɪsᴇᴀsᴇs due to ᴄᴏᴍᴘʀᴏᴍɪsᴇᴅ ɪᴍᴍᴜɴᴇ systems.
Their Newest ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ Hatchlings Were Thriving!
Wild Florida Zoo has had the opportunity to welcome several newborn ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ alligators, which excites zookeepers and many reptile lovers there.
The alligator babies’ parents are Blizzard (male) and Snowflake (female). They were named so because they were totally white. They have been taken care of in the zoo since 2017 and got ready to reproduce. From 2019 to 2022, they gave Wild Florida babies each year and became their rockstar Aʟʙɪɴᴏ Gators.
Dᴇsᴘɪᴛᴇ these challenges, Snowflake and Blizzard are thriving at Wild Florida Zoo.
Visitors can watch them bask in the sun or swim in their pool and learn about alligators’ vital role in Florida’s ecosystem.
Alligators are apex ᴘʀᴇᴅᴀᴛᴏʀs and help ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ the populations of other animals in the wetlands, which is essential for maintaining a healthy balance of species.
A Unique And Special Attraction That Shouldn’t Be Missed!
In addition to Snowflake and Blizzard, Wild Florida Zoo is home to various other animals, including lemurs, sloths, and even a petting zoo with farm animals.
Visitors can also take an airboat ride to explore the nearby swamps and wetlands, where they may glimpse wild alligators and other Florida wildlife.
The ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ alligators at Wild Florida Zoo are a unique and special attraction that shouldn’t be missed.
They are beautiful to look at and offer an opportunity to learn about the importance of alligators in Florida’s ecosystem and the ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇs that ᴀʟʙɪɴᴏ animals face in the wild.
So if you’re ever in the area, stop by and say hello to Snowflake and Blizzard!
