A San Francisco legend has passed out of this realm and into the great swamp in the sky.
A press release that I just received today relayed the sad news that Claude, the famous albino alligator at the California Academy of Sciences is no longer with us. They also announced it on Instagram.
As the instagram post says, “Claude showed us the power of ambassador animals to connect people to nature and stoke curiosity to learn more about the world around us.”
This comes on the heels of his big 30th birthday celebration that happened over the summer. The academy hosted a month full of events to honor the occasion.
Regarding Claude’s death, the press release says:
“Claude’s dedicated care team had been monitoring him closely in recent weeks due to a waning appetite, and he was recently moved behind-the-scenes to undergo treatment for a suspected infection. He received the best possible care from the Steinhart Aquarium veterinarian and animal care teams. This heartbreaking outcome is not what we hoped for. A full exam and necropsy, to be conducted at UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, will yield more information about the cause of death.”
While the Academy plans on holding a public memorial in the near future, they haven’t announced any plans yet.
In the meantime they encourage “people to share their memories of Claude and messages for his dedicated animal care team by email at [email protected] or by post to California Academy of Sciences, Attn: Digital Engagement, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118.”
