He’s enigmatic. He’s pigment-free. And when he’s not lounging on a heated rock, he’s hanging out with his three snapping turtle pals. He is, of course, Claude: California Academy of Sciences’ resident albino alligator and unofficial mascot. And starting this week, he’s coming live and direct to an internet connection near you.
After 17 years of casually doing his own thing in the privacy of his own swamp, Cal Academy is adding Claude to its roster of (frankly delightful) webcams on April 4. You can already watch livestreams of Cal Academy’s African penguins, Reef Lagoon and Philippine Coral Reef. Claude’s big debut is happening as part of Academy Day, a celebration to mark the science institution’s 172nd (!) anniversary. (Yes, this place really has been around since 1853.)
The web cam will also be a handy, longterm way to prove that Claude is, in fact, a real live animal — something that new Cal Academy visitors have been known to frequently ask about. (He turns 30 on September 15.)
@heycalacademyToday, Claude turns 28, and we’re putting the conspiracies to bed once and for all. #GetCultured♬ original sound – California Academy of Sciences
