Snowflake (gorilla) facts for kids
Snowflake
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| Species | Western lowland gorilla |
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| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 1964 Spanish Guinea |
| Died | November 24, 2003 (aged 38–39) Barcelona Zoo, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain |
| Years active | 1966–2003 |
| Known for | Being the world's only known albino gorilla |
Snowflake (also known as Floquet de Neu in Catalan, Copito de Nieve in Spanish, and Flocon de Neige in French) was a special western lowland gorilla. He was born around 1964 and lived until November 24, 2003. Snowflake was famous for being the only known albino gorilla in the world. He lived at the Barcelona Zoo in Barcelona, Spain, from 1966 until he passed away.
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How Snowflake Was Found
Snowflake was found in a place called Río Muni in Spanish Guinea on October 1, 1966. A farmer named Benito Mañé captured him. Sadly, Mañé had to kill the other gorillas in Snowflake's group, who were normal in color. Mañé kept Snowflake at his home for four days. Then, he took Snowflake to a city called Bata. There, a scientist who studies primates, Jordi Sabater Pi, bought Snowflake.
Snowflake was first called Nfumu Ngui, which means "white gorilla" in the Fang language. His keeper, Jordi Sabater Pi, later gave him the nickname Floquet de Neu. This means "little snowflake" in Catalan.
What Made Snowflake Special
Snowflake was a western lowland gorilla with a condition called oculocutaneous albinism. This means his skin, hair, and eyes lacked color. Because of this, he didn't see very well. He also had trouble with bright lights, often closing his eyes.
Scientists studied Snowflake's DNA to learn more about him. They found that his parents were related, like an uncle and niece. This close family link caused his albinism. Snowflake got a special gene, called the SLC45A2 gene, from both his mother and father. This gene, when received from both parents, caused his unique white color.
Life in Barcelona
When Snowflake arrived in Barcelona in November 1966, he was a big deal! The mayor of Barcelona even welcomed him. A newspaper called him Blancanieves, which means "Snow White". But he became truly famous as Snowflake. This name was given to him by Jordi Sabater Pi and used by National Geographic magazine in 1967. Soon, magazines all over the world, like Stern and Life, used the name Snowflake.
Snowflake's Family
Snowflake had many children, 22 in total, with three different female gorillas. Six of his children grew up to be adults. None of Snowflake's children were albino like him. However, all of them carried the gene for albinism. This means they could pass it on to their own children.
If two gorillas who both carry the albino gene have a baby, there is a 25% chance their baby could be albino. There's also a 50% chance their baby will carry the gene, just like Snowflake's children. As of 2021, Snowflake had 21 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. One of his great-grandchildren, N'Kou, has pink fingers, which might be a small sign of albinism.
Snowflake's Death
In 2001, Snowflake was diagnosed with a rare type of skin cancer. This cancer was almost certainly linked to his albinism, as his lack of pigment made him more sensitive to the sun. By 2003, Snowflake's health started to get worse. He passed away on November 24, 2003. At the time, he was thought to be between 38 and 40 years old.
Snowflake's Legacy
Snowflake left a big mark on the world:
- An asteroid (a small rocky object in space) was named 95962 Copito in his honor.
- A special scholarship was created to help people study primatology, which is the study of primates like gorillas. Snowflake's fame also helped people learn more about gorillas, which are an endangered species.
- He appeared in a children's book series called Guarda e Scopri Gli Animali.
- Snowflake was the main character in a book called Memòries d'en Floquet de Neu ("Snowflake's Memories").
- His keeper, Jordi Sabater Pi, also wrote a book about him, called Copito para Siempre (Snowflake Forever).
- The TV show Nature on PBS made an episode about him.
- The famous poet Billy Collins wrote a poem about Snowflake.
- Snowflake is on the cover of the music album Rooty by Basement Jaxx.
- A Dutch football player, Ronald Koeman, was nicknamed Copito de Nieve because of his blond hair.
- Snowflake appeared in an episode of the cartoon The Triplets.
- In 2011, a movie was made about Snowflake's fictional childhood called Snowflake, the White Gorilla.
Albino Gorillas in Other Media
Snowflake's unique look has inspired other white or albino gorillas in movies, comics, and games:
- Before Snowflake was even born, the movie Son of Kong featured a white gorilla named "Little Kong."
- In the cartoon series Legends of Chima, a gorilla named Grizzam has white fur.
- A white gorilla appears in the French comic series Photonik.
- In The Flash TV show, a gorilla named Solovar was shown as an albino.
- In the Planet of the Apes franchise movie series, a white gorilla named Winter appears.
- The 2018 movie Rampage features an albino gorilla named George. The actor Dwayne Johnson said George was based on Snowflake.
- In the game World of Warcraft, there is a rare white gorilla character named Uhk'loc.
See also
In Spanish: Copito de Nieve para niños
- List of individual apes
