Recently, Charlotte, the round stingray who captured attention for her mysterious pregnancy without mating, has been diagnosed with a rare reproductive disease. The revelation came in a statement posted on Facebook by the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
The aquarium announced that Charlotte has developed a rare reproductive disease that has adversely affected her reproductive system. They emphasized that while they regret the delay in updates, the time was essential to gather data and analyze lab results. Their primary focus is now on Charlotte’s health and well-being, working closely with veterinarians and specialists to understand the disease and explore treatment options.
The statement expressed gratitude for the ongoing support from the public and requested respect for Charlotte and her care team as they navigate this unexpected development. However, the aquarium did not specify the type of disease or its implications for Charlotte’s pregnancy.
Representatives for the aquarium did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment.
Charlotte has resided at the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO for eight years. The surprising revelation of her pregnancy, despite no interaction with a male stingray, had left followers puzzled. Even Brenda Ramer, the aquarium’s executive director, was surprised by the news, initially speculating various theories to explain the phenomenon.
Charlotte’s pregnancy, confirmed through an ultrasound livestream in February, revealed she was expecting three to four pups. Despite speculation about possible mating with sharks, experts ruled out cross-species reproduction.
Dr. Benjamin M. Perlman, a biologist specializing in stingrays, explained that the morphology of male sharks wouldn’t align with that of female round stingrays for successful mating.
As months passed, Ramer now leans towards parthenogenesis as the explanation for Charlotte’s pregnancy. Parthenogenesis, a reproductive strategy allowing females to produce offspring without fertilization, seems to be the most plausible explanation for Charlotte’s miraculous pregnancy.