Video shows why albino alligator living in San Francisco was so beloved, iconic
The California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco on Tuesday mourned one of its beloved residents after Claude, the rare albino alligator who charmed millions of visitors over nearly two decades, died at age 30.
The alligator lived 17 years in at the science museum in Golden Gate Park. There are fewer than 200 albino alligators in the world, the Associated Press reported.
A massive 30th birthday party for Claude earlier this year was attended by thousands of fans. The museum plans to hold a public memorial in the near future.
Claude was popular with Bay Area school children, international tourists — and beyond, as he appeared in a children’s book and in ads at light-rail stations, according to media reports.
Claude was hatched in a Louisiana swamp, according to SFGate, and spent some time at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park before traveling to California.
This story was originally published December 3, 2025 at 12:05 PM.
