Albinism is an inherited genetic disorder that results in little to no production of melanin, a natural pigment responsible for the color of skin, eyes, and hair. Although rare, this condition can affect anyone—it can manifest in people, animals, and even plants. Wild Florida Airboats & Gator Park in Kenansville, Florida, recently introduced two albino baby alligators and the babies are simply cute beyond words.

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The animal park shared a photo of the two albino baby alligators on Facebook and people are quite shocked by their unique appearance. Although these crocodilian reptiles vary in skin color, dark-skinned alligators typically have a blackish-gray color, while light-skinned alligators have olive-green or light brown colors. As we said earlier, albinism can also occur in animals, and reptiles are no exception. White-skinned alligators are extremely rare, and biologists estimate that there are only about 100 in existence in the world.

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An alligator born with albinism has ivory-colored skin and slightly pink-tinted eyes instead of the usual black and green. This genetic condition is the result of a recessive gene that is passed down from parent to offspring. But for this gene to manifest in offspring, both parents must carry it. Wild Florida aims to breed more of this rarity of nature, and luckily, they have a pair of albino alligators named Blizzard (male) and Snowflake (female) that can help them with that.

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In August last year, the full-fledged albino alligator pair produced five babies. But only one of their babies had inherited the albino gene. Exactly one year later, the animal park excitedly announced that the albino alligator pair has produced 18 eggs, two of which have already hatched and look just like their white-skinned parents. Wild Florida assured everyone that the cute babies are in good health, but they will require intensive care and nurturing before they can be shown to the public. In the meantime, all we have is the photo showing the adorable albino baby alligators.

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Since albino alligators cannot produce melanin, they lack the camouflage protection that helps them survive in the wild. Additionally, the white-skinned reptiles are prone to severe sunburns because they do not have the skin’s natural protection against harmful UV rays. Considering all of these things, alligators with albinism will not last long in the wild. Those born in captivity are kept in special enclosures that emulate their natural habitat while protecting them from direct sun. Therefore, albino alligators living in parks and zoos tend to live longer than those living in the wild.

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The lack of camouflage and skin protection makes them unsuitable for living in the wild. The good news from Wild Florida should give us more chances to see these rare creatures. Plus, the two hatchlings were the first to hatch from the clutch of 18 eggs. So, we still have 16 eggs to look forward to.