The Official FC Pets & Animals thread

pakalolo

pakalolo

Toolbag v1.1 (candidate)
Staff member
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Nooky72

Nooky72

Dog Marley
Seren said:
Beautiful albinos.....

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Seren, The gorilla brought back fond yet sad memories because I was on business many years ago in Barcelona and I was taken to the zoo where I was mesmerised by the magnificient sight of snowflake. His story is below. Thanks for stimulating this memory. God rest his soul.


Snowflake
Snowflake (Catalan: Floquet de Neu, Spanish: Copito de Nieve; c. 1964 – November 24, 2003) was an albino gorilla. He was the most well known albino animal and was a popular attraction at the Barcelona Zoo in Spain where he lived from 1966 until his death.

History
Snowflake was captured in the Rio Muni region in Equatorial Guinea on October 1, 1966 by Benito Mañé, an ethnic Fangfarmer. Mañé had killed the rest of Snowflake's gorilla group (who were normal in color). Mañé then kept Snowflake at his home for four days before transporting him to Bata, where he was purchased by primatologist Jordi Sabater Pi.[3]

Characteristics
Snowflake was a Western Lowland Gorilla with non-syndromic oculocutaneous albinism.[7] Snowflake had unpigmented skin and hair.[8][9]

Snowflake had poor vision, which is associated with albinism. A test to try to determine whether Snowflake had a central blind spot did not find one.[10] Barcelona Zoo director Antonio Jonch wrote:

Life in Barcelona

Snowflake resting in his enclosure
Upon his arrival to Barcelona in November 1966, he was given an official reception by the then Mayor of Barcelona, Josep Maria de Porcioles and called "Blancanieves" ("Snow White") in the newspaper Tele/Exprés.[12] But he became famous with the name given to him by Sabater when National Geographic Magazine featured him on the cover in March 1967, with the English name Snowflake. This name spread among the press (Stern, Life,Paris-Match). Sabater himself called the gorilla "Copi" or "Floquet", and in the later years "Nfumu". He was also known as "Little Buttercup",[13] and as the "Vanilla Gorilla".

In 1986 the Barcelona Zoo enlisted British zoo veterinarian David Taylor to collect sperm from Snowflake for artificial insemination. Although the attempt was unsuccessful, the story was carried by newspapers the world over.[14][better source needed]

Offspring
Snowflake fathering twenty-two offspring by three different mates, or "dams". Six of his offspring survived to adulthood.[15]None of Snowflake's offspring were albino, but all should be heterozygous, recessive carriers, for the albino gene. His grandchildren have 50% mathematical probability for carrying the albino gene. If both parents were albino gene carriers they have 25% chance of producing an albino offspring.

As of May 2014, Snowflake has a total of 21 grandchildren (11 survive) and four great-grandchildren (all living).[16]Snowflake's great-grandson N'Kou has pink fingers, which is perhaps suggestive of partial albinism.[citation needed]

Death
In 2001, Snowflake was diagnosed with an unusual form of skin cancer, almost certainly related to his albinism condition.[17]By 2003, Snowflake's health began to deteriorate. After he began losing interest in his usual activities, began isolating himself from other gorillas and began exhibiting signs of physical pain, Snowflake's keepers decided to euthanized him.[18]The decision was publicly announced in September 2003.[15] Thousands of people visited Snowflake at the Barcolena Zoo before he was euthanized on November 24, 2003. At the time of his death, Snowflake was thought to be between 38 and 40 years old.[19][15]

Legacy

A room dedicated to Snowflake
The asteroid 95962 Copito, discovered by Spanish astronomer J. Manteca, is named in his honour.[20]

Snowflake appears on the front cover of dance music act Basement Jaxx's album Rooty.[22]

While playing at FC Barcelona, Dutch football player Ronald Koeman was nicknamed Copito de Nieve because of his blond hair.

Snowflake appeared on The Triplets (Les Tres Bessones) episode "The Triplets meet King Kong" as a guest of honor for the appearance of King Kong in Barcelona's Olympic Stadium.

In 2011, there was a live action/CGI film called Snowflake, the White Gorilla that depicts the fictional childhood of Snowflake (voiced by Ariana Grande)
 
Lezi

Lezi

Well-Known Member
Nooky72 said:
Seren, The gorilla brought back fond yet sad memories because I was on business many years ago in Barcelona and I was taken to the zoo where I was mesmerised by the magnificient sight of snowflake. His story is below. Thanks for stimulating this memory. God rest his soul.


Snowflake
Snowflake (Catalan: Floquet de Neu, Spanish: Copito de Nieve; c. 1964 – November 24, 2003) was an albino gorilla. He was the most well known albino animal and was a popular attraction at the Barcelona Zoo in Spain where he lived from 1966 until his death.
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Sad memories for me too. I am from barcelona, born and raised here. The Barcelona's zoo should be a shame for all Barcelona's citizens, IMO. The zoo it's in bad condition and is very tiny for the animals who survive there. Have a black panther in a 30x30 feet jail isn't education, it's a show torture.
Floquet de neu ( Snowflake ) was unique in his specie and a beautiful gorila, what's the point to put a magnificent animal in a jail instead of a reserve ?
When I read "he was given an official reception by the then Mayor of Barcelona..." it reminds me the King Kong film...."hooo :o the big ape comes to barcelona". :disgust:

To change the subject, this was my albino cat. I found him almost died in the street, took me a month to cure his wounds. I thought that he never could run or walk normally again but he overcame. He could run and play a lot !...even fuck :brow: ....and had 4 kids with his wife. He lived 14 happy years sorrounded by his family. Rip
I love how he looked in the dark, happy halloween !

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hd_rider

hd_rider

Well-Known Member
Unfortunately for my wife and I, it is almost time to say goodbye to our "Patricia Snow" of 16 years. She has been diagnosed with cancer and will pass within a month or two. Neither one of us has been through the loss of a pet like this and are heart-broken. We love her dearly.

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