‘Beyond rare’ white alligator gets an interesting name, people say it’s ‘perfect’

Gatorland Orlando asked people to send name suggestions, and they finally selected a moniker for the ‘beyond rare’ white alligator from hundreds of options.

A leucistic alligator born at a Florida Park finally got an interesting name a few months after her birth. This ‘beyond rare’ white-coloured creature is one of the ‘rarest genetic variations in the American alligator’. Gatorland Orlando took to Facebook to reveal the name of the solid white alligator sporting ice-blue eyes.

The image shows a beautiful and rare white-coloured alligator with her brother at Gatorland Orlando. (Facebook/@Gatorland Orlando)

In a video, a zookeeper shared that they invited people to suggest names for the rare alligator and her ‘normal-coloured’ brother. Among hundreds of monikers that were suggested, the park finally settled on Mystic for the white alligator and decided to call her Mystic the Leucistic. Any guess what her little brother is called? His name is Mayhem.

What makes the alligator special?

Earlier, the park shared a post announcing the birth of this rare creature. “For the first time since a nest of leucistic alligators was discovered in the swamps of Louisiana 36 years ago, we have the first birth of a solid white alligator ever recorded from those original alligators. This is beyond rare, it is absolutely extraordinary and the first one in the world,” the park wrote.

Are leucistic alligators the same as albino alligators?

In the same post, the park explained how leucistic alligators differ from albino alligators. The park shared that albino alligators have pink eyes and there is a complete loss of pigment. However, the leucistic alligators have ‘brilliant blue eyes’.

“Leucism in alligators causes white coloration, but they often have patches or splotches of normal coloration on their skin. Without the darker skin pigmentation, they can’t have direct sunlight for long periods of time because they sunburn easily,” the park further explained.

Take a look at the video here.

Here's another video capturing the birth of the leucistic alligator:

The Facebook post revealing the names of the baby alligators has prompted people to share varied comments. While some expressed their joy, others shared how Mystic left them spellbound.

What did Facebook users say about this alligator video?

“Love these little ones! Welcome Mystic and Mayhem,” added a Facebook user. “Love it, it is so perfect,” added another. A few others echoed the same sentiment that the names are perfect for the little creatures.

A third commented, “I love the names Mystic and Mayhem and congrats for the first ever born leucistic. Love you guys.” A fourth wrote, “Love their new names.”