Meet Snowflake, the Only Albino Gorilla on Earth

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There has only been one albino western lowland gorilla ever found in the wild or captivity. Snowflake the gorilla lived in the Barcelona Zoo for 36 years and he was the world’s only albino gorilla. Even more than having the status of being the one and only white gorilla known in history, Snowflake lived a fascinating life.

Take a look at the video above to see Snowflake as he lived in his habitat at the zoo. Amazingly, Snowflake had 21 children, and none of them were albino. Snowflake’s albinism gave him white hair, pink skin, and blue eyes, similar to a human with albinism.

How Did Snowflake the Gorilla Become Albino?

Scientists studied Snowflake’s genes to get more information on how this exceedingly rare trait could have occurred in the western lowland gorilla. Albinism is when a person or animal’s skin does not produce any melanin. It gives them very little color in their eyes, skin, and hair. Gorillas aren’t the only non-human primates that have been found with albinism. There have been a few rare cases of albino monkeys as well.

When sequencing Snowflake’s genes, researchers discovered that his albinism was due to the same mutant gene that causes mice, horses, and chickens to become albino. This gene is recessive, meaning it only comes out in an individual if both parents pass the gene to their child.

Snowflake’s parents were related (an uncle and his niece), and must have both shared the recessive gene. It’s very rare for gorillas to breed with family members. It’s also very rare for the mutant albino gene to be seen in gorillas. This is why Snowflake is such a unique case, and why it may be a long time before the world sees another albino gorilla.

Snowflake’s Tragic Beginning

Snowflake was a baby living in the wild in Equatorial Guinea with his mother in 1966. Sadly, his mother was caught and killed by a group of farmers for eating their crops. Little Snowflake was found clinging to his mother at the time of her death and was discovered by the farmers. One farmer brought the baby home and named him “Nfumu Ngui,” which means White Gorilla. 

Snowflake’s Time in the Barcelona Zoo

The farmer kept Snowflake for a few days before he was sent to a conservator. Eventually, Snowflake was shipped to the Barcelona Zoo. The baby gorilla found fame there as the only white gorilla known to the world. There he was given the name Snowflake. As a baby, Snowflake spent some of his time living at the home of the zoo’s veterinarian, even vacationing with his family.

Because a full-grown gorilla can’t live in a person’s house, Snowflake began spending all his time in his zoo enclosure. There, he was the father to 21 children with three different female gorillas. In 1999, Snowflake became a grandfather with the birth of his two granddaughters, Nimba and Batanga. Out of all of his offspring, children, and grandchildren alike, there has never been another albino gorilla.

Snowflake’s Death in 2003

Snowflake was beloved around the world, but he was especially loved in Barcelona. Sadly, in 2003, he contracted skin cancer. Cared for at the zoo, he passed away in November of 2003. Always a crowd favorite, around the time of his death many people came to see the elderly gorilla for the final time. According to the zookeepers, until he grew too sick at the end of his life, Snowflake enjoyed spending time with the other gorillas at the zoo, including his children and grandchildren.