Virgin stingray that got pregnant has died, aquarium says

Charlotte the virgin stingray, who got pregnant earlier this year despite not having met a male of her species for at least eight years has died.

The Aquarium & Shark Lab in North Carolina said over the weekend that the rust-coloured stingray died after getting a rare reproductive disease.

“We are sad to announce, after continuing treatment with her medical care team and specialist, our ray Charlotte passed away today,” the aquarium wrote, while also thanking fans for their “love and support”.

Charlotte, who has lived at the aquarium since 2016, became the centre of a media storm in February after it was announced that she was pregnant – despite having no contact with male stingrays for almost a decade.

This phenomenon, where an animal essentially impregnates herself, is termed “parthenogenesis”.

It occurs when a female uses her own unfertilised eggs to create a genetically complete clone in the absence of males of her own species.

This form of reproduction can be experienced by some insects, fish, amphibians, birds and reptiles, although Charlotte’s case is the only documented example of the phenomenon occurring in a stingray, according to a research scientist at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.

The aquarium announced in early June that Charlotte was no longer pregnant, leading to the facility to temporarily close to the public.

In its post on Sunday, the aquarium said it would remain closed for the time being and that staff would continue to feed and care for the other animals.