"He was snaggletoothed, the color of dirty Ivory Soap and ate tons of rats, but the Bay Area loved him just the same. R.I.P. Claude the albino alligator, taken too soon this December at age 30. On Jan. 18, the institution that held the Louisiana-born beast for 17 years - the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco - will hold a celebration in his honor in Golden Gate Park."
"It's thought there are fewer than 200 albino alligators in the world, and this memorial will pay tribute to Claude equally rare accomplishment: the "power of ambassador animals to connect people to nature and stoke curiosity to learn more about the world around us," as the academy has put it. The free event will feature stories, speeches and performances, as well as activities for all ages of alligator enthusiasts."
Claude, an albino alligator born in Louisiana, died in December at age 30 after spending 17 years at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Fewer than 200 albino alligators are thought to exist worldwide. A free memorial celebration will take place Jan. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Golden Gate Bandshell in Golden Gate Park, rain or shine, and will be live-streamed for remote viewers. The event will include stories, speeches, performances and activities for all ages. Claude favored warm rocks, back scratches, fish heads and previously frozen rats ("ratsicles"), and kept company with a trio of snapping turtles. Claude served as an ambassador animal that helped connect people to nature and stoke curiosity about the natural world.
Read at The Mercury News
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