Ghostly gator makes L.A. its temporary haunt

The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens recently received a rare white alligator on loan from a zoo in Florida.

The alligator is an albino; it lacks pigment in his skin, so it appears white. Albinism can occur in any animal.

This alligator would have a hard time in the wild because animals that don't blend in with their surroundings can be quickly eaten by predators, usually before they grow up.

Standard-colored alligators don't have a problem concealing themselves in their swampy homes. It also helps that their eyes, ears and nostrils are placed on the top of their heads. This enables an alligator to see, hear and breathe while the rest of its body is hidden underwater. Unfortunately for their prey, alligators are not picky eaters. They will eat almost anything they can catch, including smaller alligators.

Have you ever seen an alligator sitting outside the water with its mouth wide open? It isn't waiting for the dentist to check its teeth. It's actually cooling down. If you are outside playing on a hot day, your body sweats to keep cool. Alligators can't sweat, so they loose heat by "gaping" -- opening their mouths to cool off.

Alligators are classified within a group of reptiles called the crocodilians, which also includes crocodiles, caimans and gavials.

The easiest way to tell a crocodile from an alligator is by looking at the snout. Alligators have a broader, more rounded snout as opposed to the crocodile's long, slender snout.

From now until Oct. 31, you can view this rare white alligator at the Los Angeles Zoo. When you go, remember to give him a smile, but don't call him a crocodile!

For zoo information, call (323) 644-4200 or go to www.lazoo.org.

This Learning Link was written by Jason Jacobs at the Los Angeles Zoo, where the 134 and 5 freeways meet, at Griffith Park.