Rare albino alligator Claude dies at 30; tributes pour in as netizens mourn the loss of nature's marvel

Albino alligator Claude, who boasted a massive fan following worldwide, died on 2 December, California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco said. The30-year-old widely admired wild animal lived at the facility for the past 17 years, drawing animal enthusiasts from across the world for a glimpse of nature's marvel.

“Claude showed us the power of ambassador animals to connect people to nature and stoke curiosity to learn more about the world around us,” California Academy of Sciences in a press release stated.

As animal lovers mourned the loss of novel creation of nature, California Academy issued a statement suggesting that Claude died following his battle with a “suspected infection.” Claude had been receiving treatment at Steinhart Aquarium veterinarian and animal care teams after his appetite gradually became weak.

“This heartbreaking outcome is not what we hoped for. A full exam and necropsy, to be conducted at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, will yield more information about the cause of death,” the circular added.

Born with albinism in 1995 at an alligator farm in Louisiana, Claude became a resident of the Academy in 2008. The genetic mutation that made him appear white caused his eyes to look pinkish-red due to the visibility of blood vessels through the clear irises. At the time of his death, Claude was 10 feet (3 meters) long and weighed 136 kilograms (300 pounds).

Over the years, the albino alligator became an unofficial mascot of the science museum located in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Claude not only captivated hearts but also appeared in a children's book and in ads at bus and light-rail stations, AP reported.

Social media reaction

A user wrote, “I was just thinking of you as I think you tweeted about him before; possibly during the vote for city icon, which I think those parrots won over the sea lions! Poor Claude. I always thought he must have been lonely all those years.”

Another user remarked, “I suppose having an LLM named after him was too much shame for him to bear.”

A third comment read, “Yes, he was a contender, but the wild parrots won and the sea lions took second.”

A fourth user stated, “RIP, little Claude. A misfit who truly fit in SF.”

A fifth user wrote, “An icon! The end of an area!”

A sixth user said, “Poor Claude. Finally out of that little, lonely space, hopefully in alligator heaven.”