Claude the albino alligator dies

Driving the news: Museum officials announced Tuesday that Claude's caretakers had been monitoring his declining appetite and treating a suspected infection over recent weeks.

• A necropsy will be conducted at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine to determine the official cause of death.

What they're saying: "We know that the magnitude of this loss will be felt in proportion to how beloved Claude was by so many across the Bay Area and beyond," per a museum statement shared with Axios.

Catch up quick: Claude celebrated three decades of life in September — a rare feat for a species with a low survival rate in the wild — with birthday festivities all month.

• At 10 feet and 300 lbs, he represented just one of a couple hundred albino alligators in existence worldwide.

Flashback: Claude was born Sept. 15, 1995 in a Louisiana swamp, but spent more than half of his life in San Francisco after arriving in 2008.

What's next: The museum will share details about a memorial. In the meantime, the public is encouraged to send memories and tributes to [email protected].

• Fans can also send mail to California Academy of Sciences, Attn: Digital Engagement, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118.