Gatorland gives a name to its rare leucistic gator (and her brother too)
Gatorland has announced names for two of its newest residents, including the extremely rare leucistic alligator born at the attraction in August.
When visitors see the bright white creature later this year, they’ll be able to call her by name: Mystic. As in Mystic the leucistic.
Her darker-skinned brother is called Mayhem.
“That fits him perfect. He’s a crazy little guy,” Gatorland CEO Mark McHugh said in an online video announcing the names. “Every time we’re trying to take pictures, he’s trying to bite us.”
Gatorland received hundreds of name suggestions for the creatures, McHugh said.
Their parents are Jeyan, one of the leucistic alligators who moved to Gatorland in 2008, and the mother is Ashley, who has dark skin and moved to Orlando at that time. A set of 18 young leucistic alligators — all brothers — were rescued in a swamp in Louisiana in the 1980s and taken in by Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. Then, they were moved to Florida.
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Seven of the original 18 are alive today, and three of them have been living at Gatorland.
But Mystic is the first leucistic alligator ever “born in the care of man,” McHugh said. She is now one of eight in the world.
Leucistic alligators have white skin, created by a genetic condition, and deep blue eyes. They have signs of pigmentation, usually splotches of dark coloration near the head. They are more rare than albino gators, which have zero pigmentation and pink eyes.
Mystic and Mayhem have not been seen by the public yet, but McHugh says a new exhibit area is planned for the Gatorland’s White Gator Swamp area, which should be ready this spring.
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