Claude, beloved albino alligator with ‘quiet charisma,’ dies at 30

Claude, an albino alligator whose “quiet charisma” endeared him to millions of fans during his 17 years in the San Francisco area, died on Tuesday, the California Academy of Sciences announced. He was 30.

Claude, the museum’s unofficial mascot, died nearly three months after a huge birthday party drew thousands of fans to celebrate his milestone.

The care team for the 10-foot, 300-pound reptile had been monitoring his health over the past few weeks due to his declining appetite. The care team, suspecting an infection, moved Claude from his swamp for treatment.

“Claude showed us the power of ambassador animals to connect people to nature and stoke curiosity to learn more about the world around us,” the museum said in a statement.

The University of California, Davis School of Veterinary Medicine will examine Claude to determine a possible cause of death.

“As you can imagine it’s a very sad day over here,” Jeanette Peach, Cal Academy’s acting communications director, wrote in an email. “At the moment we’re not doing interviews as we don’t have more information to share yet, but once we have the findings of the necropsy and exam that is being performed at UC Davis we will be able to share more.”

Claude was hatched at an alligator farm in a Louisiana swamp on Sept. 15, 1995, and weighed 2 ounces. His albinism was a genetic mutation that made him appear white.

Claude arrived at the California Academy of Sciences in 2008 and quickly became its most sought-after attraction as the first albino alligator in the museum’s history.

After his birth, Claude spent some time at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida before he was transferred to the San Francisco area in 2008.

Claude’s name was a pun, as he was paired with a non-albino female alligator named Bonnie. But Bonnie and Claude’s relationship was stormy at best. Bonnie bit off one of Claude’s toes after the albino bumped into her in 2009, and she was returned to Florida.

But Claude was adored by thousands of visitors to the Steinhart Aquarium, who sent him letters, drawings and gifts. His image could be found on billboards and there was even a book written about him: Emma Bland Smith published “Claude: The True Story of a White Alligator” in 2000.

Biologists at the academy described him as gentle, “almost puppy-like,” and he was quick to respond to verbal prompts during feedings.

“Sometimes I have to remind myself, ‘This is a dangerous animal,’ because yes, it’s almost like you would train your dog,” Cal Academy biologist Emma Kocina said on the Total SF podcast. “You ask him to do something, and he’s rewarded with fish.”

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, who represents the San Francisco area in the House, wrote on X that “San Francisco is heartbroken by the loss of Claude — our city’s distinguished albino alligator who was taken from us in his prime at just 30.”

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