They found him in the Nkó jungle, Equatorial Guinea, after some farmers killed his mother.
It was 1966, and that little gorilla had something no one had ever seen before: white fur, pink skin, and light-colored eyes. Primatologist Jordi Sabater Pi took him to Barcelona Zoo, where they named him Snowflake. He became the zoo’s biggest attraction, appearing on postcards, posters, and even in a novel. He lived for nearly 40 years despite his photophobia and poor vision, the result of albinism.
He had between 21 and 22 offspring with three different females — none was born albino. A 2013 genetic study revealed the reason behind his condition: he was the offspring of a mating between an uncle and his niece. He died in 2003 from skin cancer linked to the lack of pigmentation, and Barcelona’s mayor himself bade him farewell as if he were just another neighbor.
