COPITO DE NIEVE

'Copito de Nieve' (c. 1964 – November 24, 2003) was an albino gorilla, the most popular resident of the ''Parc Zoològic de Barcelona'' in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He was originally named 'Nfumu Ngi' (Fang, "white gorilla"), then later on nicknamed 'Snowflake' by ''National Geographic'' magazine, and then translated as 'Copito de Nieve' (Spanish) and 'Floquet de Neu' (Catalan). The asteroid 95962 Copito is named in his honour.
The official story is that an ape specialist, Jordi Sabat Pi, found the animal in 1966 in Ikunde, in Equitorial Guinea, at that time a Spanish colony. The only albino gorilla known to man, he was captured outside Nko, Rio Muni (now Equatorial Guinea), on October 1, 1966, by Benito Mañé, a farmer of the Fang people, who had killed the rest of its group (all charcoal black in color) in order to obtain this unusual albino specimen. Like the others, his mother was shot by Benito Mañé whilst she tore a banana stem apart in his banana plantation. Clinging to the gorilla was a small creature, whose head was buried deep in her black fur. It was a young animal at the time, clinging to its mother's neck. Benito kept him at his own home for four days and then transported him to Bata where he was purchased by Catalan primatologist Jordi Sabater Pi. Sabat paid a small fortune for the gorilla. In Guinea, it had been known as Nfumu-Ngui ("White Gorilla" in Fang) but in Barcelona it obtained a Castilian name "Copito de Nieve".
Snowflake was a Western Lowland Gorilla. He lived at the Barcelona Zoo in the Parc de la Ciutadella. He was known worldwide, mentioned in tourist guides and put on postcards, becoming a mascot for the city. Some of his pictures make it look like he is grimacing; this is in fact him merely squinting due to his pigmentless eyes and bright lights.
He became a main character in the novel, ''Memòries d'en Floquet de Neu'' (''Snowflake's Memories''), by the Catalan writer, Toni Sala. Sabater Pi also dedicated a book to the gorilla, under the title ''Floquet per sempre'' (''Snowflake Forever''). He also makes a brief appearance in Italo Calvino's novel ''Mr. Palomar.''
Snowflake's fame also helped to promote awareness of the endangered gorilla.
"If we do nothing there will be no more gorillas in 30 years," Sabater Pi said, at the presentation of his book.
During his life at the zoo, he fathered 22 offspring (6 survived to adulthood) with three females, and lived to see his grandchildren. None of his offspring were albino. His last son, Urko, died in August 2003.
He was thought to be between 38 and 40 years old; the average lifespan of a wild gorilla is 25. He had suffered since 2001 from an unusual form of skin cancer, possibly relating to his albinism, and it was announced in September 2003 that he was dying. Thousands visited the zoo to say goodbye before he was euthanized in November 2003.
A memorial fund for bursaries into primatology was started in Floquet de Neu's name.
Floquet de Neu was also featured on the cover of a Basement Jaxx album called Rooty.
The "Tre allegri ragazzi morti" album, "Il sogno del gorilla bianco" ("White gorilla's dream"), referred to Snowflake. After publishing the album, the singer of the band, Davide Toffolo, wrote a book titled "Il re bianco" ("The white king"), also referred to the white gorilla.
The star of Peter Jackson's epic "King Kong" was influenced by Snowflake's anthropomorphisms.

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External links

External links

★ Floquet de Neu - official website

★ Albino gorilla dies in Spain (MSNBC)

★ Parc Zoològic de Barcelona (press release in Catalan section)

★ Copito Asteroid

★ Snowy Stardom