Claude Cam

No, the cam's not frozen—Claude’s just chilling! Our swamp king is a master of leisure, and you might find that observing his serenity may help melt your own stress away.

Claude does spring into (slow, steady) action more often than you might think, however. Keep an eye out for the following quintessential Claude behaviors, ordered from most to least common, and view a gallery of classic Claude moments below.

• Basking: Claude is cold-blooded, so he makes frequent use of his heated basking rock to warm up after a swim.
• Swimming laps: Claude shows his true grace in the water. Watch him swim effortlessly with gentle swishes of his powerful tail.
• Stealth mode: If you can’t find Claude, he may be submerged. American alligators can hold their breath for up to 30 minutes!
• Holding his own hand: Sometimes Claude grabs hold of his back leg with his front leg. Is he stretching, or giving himself a high-five?
• Scratching an itch: Everyone gets itchy, but no one looks as cute as Claude when they’re scratching behind their ear.
• Turtle cuddle: Claude and his snapping turtle Swamp-mates occasionally rest very close to each other. Whether it’s cuddling or conspiring, we may never know.

When you think of the Academy, there’s a good chance you think of Claude. He’s our unofficial mascot, and his eye-catching appearance and unbothered attitude have endeared him to millions of fans since 2008. You already love him—now it’s time to get to know him.

Hatchday: September 15, 1995
Academy debut: September 27, 2008
Size: 10 ft., 300 lbs.
Distribution: Southeastern U.S. to Texas; range is expanding
Habitat: Freshwater swamps, lakes, ponds, and rivers
Diet: In the wild: fish, birds, reptiles, mammals. At the Academy: 1,500 grams of fish and 1,250 grams of rats weekly

Claude, an American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), hatched on an alligator farm in Louisiana on September 15, 1995. One of fewer than 200 alligators with albinism in the world, banana-sized baby Claude received special care at a zoo in Florida for his first 13 years. As the new Academy prepared to open in August 2008, Claude and Bonnie, a female alligator with typical pigmentation, made the four-day journey from Florida to their new home in the brand-new Swamp exhibit, delighting guests and staff alike from day one.

Bonnie and Claude weren’t great partners in crime, so Bonnie was returned to Florida. Today, three alligator snapping turtles (Macrochelys temminckii) named Morla, Donatello, and Raphael peacefully coexist in the Swamp with Claude, mostly staying out of each others’ way—although occasional canoodling has been observed.

By most measures, Claude leads an enviable life, receiving regular enrichment from our biologists, world-class care from our veterinarians, and endless adulation from fans around the world. Most importantly, he serves as an ambassador for his species and threatened swamp ecosystems—and shows that unusual is beautiful and worth celebrating.

He has answers—and advice. Send your scientific, romantic, and philosophical queries to claude@calacademy.org and he’ll get back to you as soon as he can. (He also appreciates love letters.)