Claude isn’t your average alligator. He’s bright white, nearly blind and has regrown thousands of teeth.
Measuring 10 feet long from snout to tail and weighing 300 pounds, San Francisco’s beloved albino reptile is turning 30 — and the California Academy of Sciences is throwing him a monthlong birthday party, stretching far beyond the Swamp exhibit where Claude spends his days.
“It’s a special milestone for one of our most special animals,” said Jeanette Peach, director of communications at the Academy.
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Claude is believed to be one of the oldest albino alligators in human care. In the wild, he likely wouldn’t have survived past infancy — his bright white skin makes camouflage impossible and leaves him vulnerable to predators. At the Academy, though, Claude may live another three decades.
The festivities kicked off on Sept. 1 with the museum offering daily giveaways, including limited-edition pins, screen-printed posters created by students from the California College of the Arts and Claude-themed stickers and plushies. Throughout the month, visitors will find activities ranging from Claude crafts and a collaborative art sculpture to storytime readings of The Curious Color of Claude, a new children’s book about the gator’s unique look.
Claude’s official birthday is on Sept. 15. The main event will take place the day before, on Sept. 14, when the Academy will host Claude’s birthday party, serving cupcakes for human guests and a special “fish cake” — made out of mainly krill and ice — for the birthday boy.
In the past, the three snapping turtles that the alligator shares an enclosure with seemed far more enthusiastic about these icy cakes than Claude himself, who may be unbothered by birthday fanfare and would prefer to quietly lounge on his heated rock.
“We will all sing him happy birthday, and he will receive his cake, which we anticipate he will probably ignore,” Peach said with a laugh. “Which we think should have some nice comedic timing on that.”
The party won’t just happen inside the Academy’s walls. Claude’s presence will be felt across San Francisco throughout the month. His mascot popped up at a Golden State Valkyries game on Tuesday and will make an appearance at the Gardens of Golden Gate Park’s Flower Piano sometime this month. A citywide “Claude Quest” is planned on Sept. 5 and will have plushie Claudes scattered around the Bay Area for lucky seekers to find and keep.
For grown-up fans, the Academy’s popular NightLife will get a Louisiana twist on Sept. 11, where guests can enjoy rice balls topped with cajun chicken jambalaya, honoring Claude’s origins in the bayous of Louisiana.
The following week, on Sept. 17, the museum will host an upscale celebration they are calling a Swamp Soirée, with a seated dinner prepared by San Francisco’s own Top Chef winner, Melissa King.
Claude himself, though, will remain in his swamp habitat — lounging on his favorite heated rock or floating motionless just beneath the water. As an albino alligator, Claude lacks pigment in his skin and eyes, giving him his signature white appearance and pinkish-red eyes.
Claude moves around infrequently because he is an ambush predator. He’s just following his natural instinct to stay still and undetectable in water in case something swims by that he wants to eat. His minimal movement also helps him conserve his energy. (Courtesy of California Academy of Sciences)
The condition also means his vision is poor, so he relies heavily on sound. For years, the Academy’s care team trained him with audio cues for feedings and health checks.
Like most alligators, Claude continuously loses and regrows teeth — up to 3,000 in a lifetime. Visitors sometimes spot his shed teeth sparkling at the bottom of the enclosure. He shares an enclosure with three female snapping turtles — Donatello, Raphael and Morla — who are estimated to be at least 50 years old.
Claude arrived at the Academy after taking a four-day road trip from Florida to California in the back of a pickup truck.
For fans who can’t make it in person, the Academy launched a “Claude-cam” earlier this year. Viewers around the world can watch him swim, bask, or snooze. They can even submit birthday messages through the Academy’s website.
“There’s really something new happening every day. It’s going to be a fun, big birthday bash all month long. And we are so thrilled to welcome everyone to join,” Peach said.
“He really brings joy to so many people each year.”
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