A zoo in Shizuoka Prefecture is seeing a surge in visitors this summer after it started displaying an entirely white Mississippi alligator.
The alligator is a 4-year-old female albino resulting from a mutation. It was brought from Germany and is the first of its kind to be shown in Japan, according to iZoo, a zoo in the town of Kawazu, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Tsuyoshi Shirakawa, 47, the head of the zoo, said an albino Mississippi alligator is extremely rare. Since its eyes are susceptible to strong light, the zoo keeps the animal in a dark environment.
Visitors are enjoying the rare animal.
"It is mystical, and handsome, too," said Atsutada Matsuba, 24, who came to the zoo from Hamamatsu.
The zoo plans to display the alligator until the end of August, but no schedule has been decided beyond September.