TYLER MORNING TELEGRAPH (Texas) 26 February 05 Caldwell Zoo Features Rare White Alligator (Lindsay Randall)
Photo: Tyler Visitor: Shown resting at Caldwell Zoo in Tyler is the white alligator on loan from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. His name is Antoine Blanc and he will be available to the public for viewing Sunday. (David Branch)
"Beautiful" and "amazing" generally are not used to describe alligators. But this one has skin of ivory and baby-blue eyes.
Antoine Blanc, a rare white alligator once compared to "250 pounds of white chocolate" is on loan to the Caldwell Zoo from New Orleans' Audubon Zoo. He goes on display Sunday.
"This is a great opportunity to see a miracle of nature," said William Garvin, Caldwell's supervisor of reptiles.
This rare specimen of white alligator derives its pale skin from a condition called leucism. It's not quite albinism - there is pigment, but only white pigment.
Curator of Reptiles Yvonne Stainback described it as a "fading of pigment, instead of a complete lack, as in albinism."
That means Antoine has opaque white skin and blue eyes, not the red eyes of albinos.
Leucistic alligators are extremely rare, according to zoo officials. Only 10 known examples of leucistic alligators exist, and all 10 are males. All 10 are from the same clutch, which was discovered by a Louisiana fisherman and donated to the Louisiana Land and Exploration Company. LL&E developed a program to protect and care for the clutch, and later gave the alligators to the Audubon Zoo of New Orleans.
Antoine comes to the Caldwell Zoo on loan. Leucism makes survival for these white gators nearly impossible. Normal alligators depend on camouflage for protection and hunting. White alligators stand out starkly in their environment, making them easy prey for birds and small mammals.
Antoine requires special care because of his condition, zoo officials note.
"Alligators aren't normally considered delicate," said Scott Maddox, assistant director for the Caldwell Zoo.
Antoine sunburns quickly, so careful preparation was necessary for his temporary habitat. The glass walls and skylights of his room have been sunblocked with dark tinting, blocking 99.6 percent of harmful solar rays.
Also, because a white alligator cannot warm itself from the sun, Antoine's environment must be maintained at very warm temperatures. The air temperature is roughly 80 degrees, and the water temperature is 86 degrees.
"He gets more personalized attention than any other gator in the world," said Garvin.
Although Antoine is delicate, he is a relatively self-sufficient animal, according to Mrs. Stainback.
Alligators eat occasionally, sometimes going weeks or even months without a meal. Antoine has not eaten a bite since his arrival on Feb. 17.
His only real necessity is air, and Antoine only needs a breath every 30 minutes, explained Mrs. Stainback. His movements are minimal; in fact, he usually takes a breath simply by sticking the tip of his snout out of the water.
When he does take food, he will eat skinned nutrias (small rodents native to Florida), rats, or high-quality beef. Feeding this sharp-toothed gator is simple; the animals are thrown, whole, into the water.
Antoine is unique, however, because he is accustomed to human handling. He has traveled to Japan, Mexico and all over the United States for special exhibits.
Conservation is important when it comes to these reptiles, as most baby alligators do not survive to adulthood in the wild. The controlled raising of alligators on farms protects many of their numbers. Even when part of a clutch is sold for leather, more are released into the wild than would normally survive on their own.
Alligators can be distinguished from crocodiles by the shape of their jaw (generally rounded, not V-shaped), by the inward clamping of their teeth, and by their smaller size. Antoine is special not only for his white color, but also for the aberrations of pigment around his snout, which look like freckles.
A special sneak preview of Antoine will be held for all ZooMembers this Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This also kicks off the spring season of events at the Caldwell Zoo, which will include educational and creative classes for children and community events.
Antoine will be here through June.
Caldwell Zoo Features Rare White Alligator