NEWPORT, KY — An area aquarium is mourning the death of one of its rare albino alligators.
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The Newport Aquarium announced the passing of Snowball, a rare albino alligator, according to social media.
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“Snowball was a tremendous ambassador for his species for 21 years, teaching all who met him about conservation and the alligator’s vital role in the health of wetland ecosystems,” the aquarium said in a Facebook post “Fewer than 100 albino alligators are known to exist worldwide, and their survival rate in the wild is low due to their lack of camouflage and sensitivity to ultraviolet rays.”
Snowball debuted at the Newport Aquarium in November 2013 at what was previously known as the Rainforest exhibit, the aquarium’s website said.
“Our thoughts are with the animal care and guest experience teams who knew him best, as they’ve lost a close friend,” they said.
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