By ninemsn staff
Seven rare albino alligators have gone missing from a zoo in Brazil, sparking concerns the animals may have been stolen for black market trade.
Zoo officials said the reptiles were last seen in their enclosures at the Federal University in Mata Grosso, in Brazil's west, during feeding on New Year's Eve, the BBC reports.
Police believe the alligators, which are distinctive because of their pink eyes and colourless skin pigment, were abducted to be sold overseas.
It is estimated the animals are worth over $11,000 each.
Police said there were no signs of forced entry to the zoo, which holds over 800 animals and spans some 27 acres.
The missing reptiles are all aged around two years.
Albino alligators are particularly vulnerable to attack in the wild because of their conspicuous appearance, causing their numbers to dwindle over the years.
They will be very difficult to track if they have been stolen, police said, because the likely perpetrators are renowned for their secrecy.
Brazil accounts for around 10 percent of the world's illegal trade in animals.
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