Why You Want to Gaze Into the Eyes of a White Alligator

I thought seeing the Ghost Deer of River Park was cool. Actually, I think anytime I’ve gotten a chance to see a white, or albino, animal has been cool.

It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that I saw my first one, though. And it was all thanks to my dog.

The Magnet

I swear that Murphy, my beloved Australian Shepherd Bluetick Coonhound, was a white animal magnet. Before him, I had never seen –heck, had never even known– that albino animals existed. I’d never even thought about it. Why would I? I took it for granted that animals were, well…animals. Skunks were black and white. Squirrels were brown. Deer were tan.

But, nope. Murph would show me otherwise.

It was on one of our regular walks when we still lived in Jacksonville, Florida, that I saw my first albino animal: a white squirrel. Naturally, I nicknamed him Whitey. He lived in one of the cul-de-sac streets that we’d incorporate into our longer walks.

Murph spotted it first. Of course. Squirrel hunting was one of his favorite pastimes.

Although squirrel “hunting” is a bit harsh. Murphy didn’t want to kill or eat them. Mainly, he wanted to play. He was a big ol’ lovable mug really. One time he met a tame rabbit nose-to-nose. (Rabbits were his other favorite critter to search for on walks. We think this particular rabbit had been someone’s pet that they released.)

Anyway, the rabbit wasn’t scared of Murph. It did hop away in terror. In fact, it raised up on its hind legs to kiss noses. Murphy fell head over heels. He looked for that rabbit every day after that.

When we moved to Nashville, we were out walking in our new neighborhood and what does Murph spot? A white chipmunk!

And then there was the white deer in the park. Every time we’d go, people would ask if we’d seen it. It took a few months before we did, but yep. It was Murphy who alerted me to it first.

Have you ever seen an albino animal in the wild? There really is something magical, almost mystical, about it.

Hard Knock Life

However, as you might imagine, being different poses challenges. Life is hard for albino critters. They don’t have the camouflage they should have, which makes them easier prey for predators. Some are also more susceptible to the elements, like the sun.

That’s the case for albino alligators. Which I both learned about –and got to see– when we took a jaunt to the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. They have an exhibit called “The Swamp” as part of their aquarium. One of their famous residents is Claude, the white alligator.

I immediately thought of the white deer legend and wondered, “Do white alligators have such a legend too?”

Quick Ghost Deer Legend Recap

The white deer legend comes from Native American lore. The Chicksaw believed albino animals to be magical and wove a star-crossed lover tale around the creature.

A warrior named Blue Jay fell in love with the chief’s daughter, Bright Moon, but the chief didn’t like him. So he gave him a challenge: find a white deer and bring back its hide.

Blue Jay found a white deer and shot an arrow in its heart but it didn’t fall. He never returned to the tribe, and Bright Moon never married. But she knew Blue Jay had shot the deer. “When the moon was shinning as brightly as her name, Bright Moon would often see the white deer in the smoke of the campfire, running, with an arrow in his heart.”

Louisiana Lore

Native American Indians have legends about alligators in general, but I haven’t come across one about white alligators specifically. Yet. I’m still researching.

However, I did find a couple of sources that mention local lore in Louisiana concerning albino gators: Phys.org and Reptiland.

Both agree that it’s incredibly good luck to see one. Reptiland says it’s particularly good fortune to gaze into one’s eyes.

Look at Me, Claude!

I didn’t know the part about looking one in the eyes when I was taking pictures of ol’ Claude. I just figured there must be some kind of folklore I could weave into a post, so I was trying to get a good shot of him.

Much to my husband’s chagrin, who asked, “How many photos of that alligator do you need?”

“I’m trying to get a good one of his face.”

Because the first time we passed his exhibit I was closest to him but foliage was obstructing my view.

Then we came back around at another angle and I realized I could get a better shot of him and his body –and his face.

I would’ve concentrated more on his eyes if I’d known there was a chance it might increase my fortune!

But maybe this is good enough? Dunno. I’ll let you know how my fortune fares as 2019 progresses…