'Snowflake' and 'Blizzard' at Wild Florida produce world's first albino alligator eggs
KENANSVILLE, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - 'Snowflake' and 'Blizzard', two albino alligators at Wild Florida, have produced the world's first albino alligator eggs.
Wild Florida announced that they have found a nest inside their albino alligator exhibit, marking the first successful batch of albino alligator eggs in the world.
Wild Florida's 'croc squad' showed in a Facebook live video that they have collected 19 albino alligator eggs from within the exhibit. They have been moved to a more secure location to help ensure the egg's survival before hatching.
Dan Munns, the co-owner and co-founder of Wild Florida, said that "alligator moms are some of the best moms out there in the animal kingdom but, unfortunately, Snowflake is blind due to her albinism. To ensure these eggs have the highest chance of survival, we're relocating the eggs to a more secure location to help protect them from natural predators and monitor their progress."
The incubation period for alligator eggs is reportedly about 60 days, but depends on the temperature of the nest. The eggs placed in the incubator will be kept at a stable temperature in a controlled environment to help ensure the success rate of the eggs hatching later this summer.
If the eggs are fertile, Wild Florida said that Blizzard and Snowflake will have produced the first albino alligators to be born and raised in Central Florida.
Blizzard is a 14-year-old male alligator. Snowflake is a 25-year-old female alligator. Both were acquired in May 2017 and located within Wild Florida's Gator Park.
Admission to wild Florida is just $10 for adults. Florida residents receive a 50 percent discount year-round. Learn more on their website.
This story was written in Orlando, Florida.
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