Albino Alligators Stolen From Brazilian university

Seven rare albino alligators recently disappeared from a Brazilian university zoo, and authorities suspect animal smugglers stole them.

The apparent theft at the Federal University of Mato Grosso was carried out between last Monday, when the alligators were last fed, and last Wednesday morning, when a zookeeper noticed their disappearance, zoo director Itamar Assumpção told the Associated Press.

There were no signs of a break-in, he added.

"We believe they may have been stolen to be sold abroad or to animal smugglers here in Brazil," said a Brazilian police official, who asked not to be identified because of departmental regulations.

Brazil accounts for about 15 percent of the world's illegal animal trading, which is worth 10 billion to 20 billion U.S. dollars annually, according to Renctas, a Brazilian non-governmental organization that combats animal trafficking.

These alligators are extremely rare and are worth about 9,700 U.S. dollars apiece, zoo Director Assumpção said.

"We know of no albino alligator born in the wild, probably because it would be impossible for it to survive," he said. "The lack of coloring would make it difficult if not impossible for them to hide from predators."

The albino alligators, born around 2005, are the result of ten years of inbreeding that began shortly after a breeder sent the zoo a male and female alligator that were much lighter than normal.

The suspected thieves left behind one alligator, which belonged to the same brood as those stolen. Another two are currently at the São Paulo Aquarium, Assumpcao said.