Bizarre News: Stingray At North Carolina Aquarium Pregnant Without A Mate
The internet is full of interesting stories. We see them every single day. But somehow, I did not stumble upon this one. Instead, a friend and co-worker sent it to me. And it blew my mind, which only led me to go down the rabbit hole. Have you heard about Charlotte the Stingray?
Who Is Charlotte The Stingray?
This bizarre story comes from Hendersonville, North Carolina. Charlotte is a stingray who has spent most of her life in an aquarium in the Appalachian Mountains. Her natural habit is thousands of miles away off the coast of Southern California.
According to AP News, Charlotte has not shared her space with a male companion of her species in at least eight years. But now, Charlotte is pregnant. The aquarium’s owner says she is pregnant with as many as four pups. But how does that happen?
Some news reports tried to suggest that it was one of the small sharks sharing Charlotte’s tank. But experts say that’s impossible.
A scientist from the Georgia Aquarium, Kady Lyons, even weighed in on this unique and rare occurrence. She believes this is the only documented example of this happening with round stingrays. But she’s not surprised either, because other marine animals have experienced pregnancies like this in human care.
It’s a rare phenomenon called parthenogenesis. It’s a type of reproduction where offspring can develop from unfertilized eggs. It can happen with some insects, fish, amphibians, birds, and reptiles, but not mammals.
In Kady Lyons’ words, “Nature finds a way of having this happen.”
Charlotte’s Due Date
From watching videos on Team ECCO’s Instagram, it seems Charlotte could give birth at any point now. She has a large “hump” on her back where she’s carrying the pups. They even have footage from ultrasounds they have done.
The most recent update was posted on 2/21/2024. It shows Charlotte moving around in the tank. And now we wait…
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The Aquarium And Shark Lab
The aquarium where Charlotte resides is run by an educational nonprofit called Team ECCO. It was started from a desire to bring the ocean to children and communities in North Carolina. The first Team ECCO Ocean Center opened in 2009. The current location, which is being rebranded as Aquarium and Shark Lab, opened in 2011.
The goal of Team ECCO is to encourage an interest in science. The team studies behavioral imprinting with sharks, rays, and reptiles. They greet an average of 10,000 visitors annually. It’s the only ocean education lab and immersive marine study center in Western North Carolina, Upstate South Carolina, and Eastern Tennessee.
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