A white animal is always a sight to behold, but some of these creatures are so rare, they are surreal. That is certainly the case with this white alligator. Everyone meet Elsa – the newest resident of the Roger Williams Zoo.
The Rhode Island-based zoo recently announced their extended family has just grown. The news came to light after a post on the zoo’s official Facebook page. According to the post, Else – and the American alligator – has this unique coloration due to albinism.
“Meet Elsa!” the post read. “This beautiful woman made her home in the Zoo’s latest temporary exhibition, Shades of Nature, housed in our newly renovated conservatory. As an albino American alligator, she lacks melanin, a pigment that gives colors to animals and humans.”
Very common in most animal species, albinism results in the laxity of skin’s pigmentation. Most of the time, this rare condition is more of a curse than a blessing for the animals that suffer from it. Others are no exception because she has poor eyesight and super sensitive skin. In the wild, albino animals are easy targets for predators, and the group often rejects them.
Thankfully for Elsa, living in the zoo means a long and peaceful life!
Zoo spokeswoman Corrie Ignagni said: ‘If she were in the wild, she wouldn’t make it. “When they were born, they are only a few inches in size, so a larger alligator would probably prey on her.”
Below, you can check out some of the cutest albino animals in the world. Enjoy it!
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