Shocking Discovery: Stingray Pregnant Despite Not Sharing Tank with Male for 8 Years
A FEMALE stingray is pregnant – but the father’s identity remains a mystery. Charlotte, who lives in a tank at a North Carolina aquarium, is carrying three to four pups in a “once-in-a-lifetime science mystery” because she reportedly hasn’t shared a tank with a male ray in at least eight years, according to the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO.
** Fans Intrigued by Charlotte’s Pregnancy**
While Charlotte is due to give birth any day now, she’s grown quite a following as social media users are intrigued by the mystery pregnancy. Fans are now demanding updates on the aquarium’s Instagram page as the account hasn’t posted about the stingray since yesterday. “We need an update on Charlotte!” one fan demanded on a recent post as dozens of others asked about Charlotte’s wellbeing and due date in the comments section.
Unraveling the Mystery: How Can a Stingray Reproduce Without a Mate?
Expert Kady Lyons told the Associated Press that Charlotte reproduced all on her own through a process called parthenogenesis. This “virgin birth” phenomenon is incredibly rare and thought to be a key to protecting endangered species, and rowing them back from the edge of extinction.
Speculation over ‘Shark Hybrid Pups’
Another possible explanation for the pregnancy is that Charlotte mated with one of the young sharks, according to Brenda Ramer, executive director of Team Ecco. “We’re either going to have partho babies or we’re going to have some kind of a potential mixed breed, and we’re waiting for Jeff Goldblum to show up because we are Jurassic Park right now!”
Ultrasound pictures revealed
Team Ecco staff at the Aquarium and Shark Lab shared Charlotte’s ultrasound pictures, which revealed that the stingray is carrying three or four pups.
Aquarium announced pregnancy two weeks ago
On February 6, the aquarium took to Facebook to announce Charlotte’s pregnancy. “Our stingray, Charlotte, is expecting!”
How Charlotte’s pregnancy was revealed
In September, Team Ecco staff at the Aquarium and Shark Lab in Hendersonville noticed that Charlotte was beginning to swell up, ultrasounds revealed that the stingray was actually pregnant.
Charlotte the stingray is expecting
The Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team Ecco was recently rocked by the discovery that its stringray Charlotte was pregnant in a tank with no males. Charlotte, who lives in a tank at the aquarium in Hendersonville, North Carolina, is carrying three to four pups.