Tomorrow, the Academy of Science’s most famous resident, Claude the albino alligator, turns 15. To celebrate, the Academy is offering free admission to all visitors on Wednesday.
Claude is easily the most famous reptile in the Richmond District and gets the full star treatment in his Academy digs. According to the Chronicle, Claude “gets three private training sessions a week, followed by 15 fish pellets. The food is tossed inches from his jaw, so he doesn’t have to search. His favorite rock is heated to varying temperatures, from 78 degrees to 95 degrees.”
The life of a star! Claude is such a primadonna that he even got his gator roommate Bonnie kicked out of the habitat. The Examiner has the scoop on the drama: “Claude got a little stressed out. He would spend almost all of his time on his little heat rock and whenever he would get into the water she would chase him out. We had originally planned to have the two on exhibit, but he’s obviously the bigger attraction, so we opted to send her to St. Augustine Alligator Farm.” Bonnie got the boot after she bit Claude’s right front foot on a Saturday night in early 2009.
Claude even has a starring role in the Academy’s latest TV commercial (the :21 mark).
At 15 years old, Claude is still a teenager. He could live to be 80 years old in his comfy Academy digs. At his latest physical, he and his 76 teeth weighed in at 181 pounds and measured 8 feet 5 inches long.
And it’s a good thing Claude is ensconced at the luxurious science museum because albino alligators are very rare in the wild. Why? Because of their star power. Carol Tang, the Director of Academy Programs tells the Chronicle, “There are no white alligators in the wild because they’re too show-offy. They get eaten in the wild.”
So what do you give a rare albino alligator for his birthday? 15 fish-shaped cupcakes made of gator chow, which will be hand decorated with fruit and flowers by kids who share Claude’s birthday. But of course.
The California Academy of Sciences will be open to the public for free all day on Wednesday in honor of Claude’s birthday. The official celebration is at 9:30am. Just be sure to not look the gator directly in the eyes – stars hate that! 😉
Sarah B.