The aquarium in New Orleans is one of the most exotic and pieceful events to visit among “rowdy” New Orleans. You are far removed from the noisy bars, restaurants and strip joints around Bourbon Street.
The white aligator lives with a large swamp turtle, some 20% its size. Despite the small size, the turtle would try to climb on the back of the alligator and even bite. The alligator was very anoyed, and finally went hiding under a wooden platform.
Is this simply a mating ritual (of the turtle) or obnoxious behaviour? Both could be caused by the small living space.
Movie (MP3): Movie of the white aligator and turtle (10 MByte download)
After: http://www.auduboninstitute.org/aquarium_exhibits.html
Quote:
“One of the most unusual residents of the Aquarium lives in the Mississippi River Gallery—"Spots" the white alligator. One of just 18 rare white alligators found in a Louisiana swamp in 1987, Spots is white but he is not albino. He is LEUCISTIC; a gene mutation gives him his white color and steely blue eyes.
Spots and his siblings (all male, by the way) probably wouldn’t have lived long in the wild since their white coloring wouldn’t camouflage them from other animals anxious to dine on the tiny hatchings. As goodwill ambassadors from Louisiana, Spots and his brothers are celebrities the world over! They’ve appeared on many news and entertainment programs including the Tonight Show, CNN, Today Show, Nashville Network, and CBS Morning News.”
