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2w ago

San Francisco Unveils ‘Claude the Alligator Way’ at Golden Gate Park Memorial

The city marked Claude’s cultural impact with a ceremonial street sign unveiled at a public memorial.

Claude the albino alligator, a beloved resident of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, died in December shortly after his 30th birthday.
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Claude the albino alligator, a beloved resident of the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco until his death last month, drew a crowd of about 2,000 mourners Sunday.
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Overview

  • The Recreation and Park Commission approved a commemorative renaming of the Music Concourse Drive block in front of the California Academy of Sciences as Claude the Alligator Way.
  • Roughly 2,000 people attended the “Claude Forever: A Celebration of Life” event featuring eulogies, a brass band, spoken word, and a second-line procession.
  • Claude died in December at age 30, with his death reported as due to liver cancer after 17 years as a signature draw at the Academy’s Steinhart Aquarium.
  • Most of Claude’s remains were cremated, while a portion of his white hide and his skull will be preserved in the Academy’s scientific collection.
  • The rare albino alligator became an unofficial ambassador who drew millions of visits and global attention, including via a museum webcam sponsored by Anthropic.