Current location:International Iterations news portal > politics
Charlotte the virgin stingray is growing something besides just babies, her caretakers reveal
International Iterations news portal2024-04-30 04:54:49【politics】4People have gathered around
IntroductionCharlotte the stingray, who earned a rabid following ever since she apparently got pregnant all by h
Charlotte the stingray, who earned a rabid following ever since she apparently got pregnant all by herself, is undergoing a new change in her body.
The 'virgin' stingray is re-growing her dropped tail barb, according to the latest update from the North Carolina-based aquarium science team that takes care of her.
The Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO shared a new video to their Instagram and Facebook pages explaining that it is a normal process for stingrays, and it shows she is in good health
The announcement comes amid curiosity, concern, and even conspiracies about Charlotte's solo pregnancy - which some observers have argued is taking longer than it should.
Charlotte the stingray can be seen swimming around her tank in the latest announcement from the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO.
This is the barb that Charlotte dropped at the end of February. Stingrays use their barbs for defense.
READ MORE: Stingray experts explain Charlotte's 'immaculate conception'
Here's why the North Carolina aquarium doesn't know when she'll actually give birth.
AdvertisementUncertainty remains around her pregnancy, including when exactly it started and when she will give birth.
But this news suggests that Charlotte's body is continuing to carry out its healthy habits as expected during an otherwise strange time.
Team ECCO has not responded to DailyMail.com's multiple requests for comment on Charlotte's condition.
'Charlotte has lived with us for eight years. During this period, she has dropped her barb several times,' said the narrator on the new video.
'Each time, she has regrown a new one. The latest barb drop was February 28th, 2024,' she said. 'Charlotte is currently in the process of regrowing a new barb, which we see as a sign of health and thriving in her environment.
The announcement appears to be intended to reassure the public, but just like with previous updates, it has done little to stem suspicions among some observers.
It does not contain any new information about her pregnancy, specifically the health of her developing pups.
And as before, in the absence of details, rumors have swirled.
Charlotte became the center of a media frenzy back in February when Team ECCO announced she was pregnant - despite not living around any male stingrays.
Charlotte continues to swim around her tank as usual at the aquarium in Hendersonville, North Carolina. And her caretakers are still unsure when she will give birth.
Certain animals are capable of reproducing through 'facultative parthenogenesis' in which the egg is fertilized with cells from the mother rather than by a male.
Aquarium staff suspect that she became pregnant through an uncommon occurrence called 'parthenogenesis.'
Parthenogenesis is the term for an animal essentially impregnating herself - using her own eggs to create a genetically complete clone in the absence of males of her species.
It has not been confirmed that parthenogenesis is the cause of her apparently virgin birth, but it is the most likely explanation, given that she hasn't been around a male of her species in almost a decade.
Parthenogenesis is relatively common in sharks and rays, which belong to the same subclass of fish, called elasmobranches.
But before Charlotte, it had not been observed in a round stingray like her.
It is the first documented case of parthenogenesis seen in captivity.
Barbs, which stingrays use for defense, are extremely sharp. If a stingray jabs you with their barbs, the pain is intense.
A stingray's barb is located about halfway down their tail, at the slit shown here. It usually stays folded down and kept out of the way.
Usually it takes a stingray three to four months to give birth after they get pregnant, but there's no road map for what's happening to Charlotte.
The extraordinary length of her pregnancy has concerned some observers, who pointed out that something may be wrong.
'Are you sure it’s not a tumor at this point?' asked one Instagram commenter.
Others have gotten more conspiratorial.
'I have no idea how or who to contact. Can anyone let authorities know about this? At this point it's either neglect, abuse, or fraud. They haven't even had a legitimate veterinarian see her,' said a Facebook commenter.
But according to Team ECCO, Charlotte is still doing great.
'Charlotte's behavior, resting, and eating patterns have not changed since our last update,' said the video narrator in the latest update.
Address of this article:http://www.videocameralive.com/html-36a399908.html
Very good!(23416)
Related articles
- Syrian, Russian forces destroy 'terrorist' strongholds in N. Syria
- China's privately offered funds hit 20.58 trln yuan
- DeSmith stops 32 shots and Canucks sweep season series with 3
- Forex settlement data showcases upbeat prospect of yuan assets
- Rubiales denies wrongdoing when questioned in probe into Saudi Arabia deal for Spanish Super Cup
- Aviation hub drives Beijing
- New focus boosting global supply chains
- CPEC hydropower station starts impoundment in NW Pakistan
- After a near
- I'm a career expert
Popular articles
Recommended
GOP lawmakers in Kansas are moving to override the veto of a ban on gender care for minors
Lok Sabha elections 2024: BJP vows to turn India into manufacturing hub
Sydney mall stabbing: Police identify the attacker who killed 6 people
Why Middle East becomes popular holiday choices for Chinese tourists?
Stunning Michigan castle near Detroit hits market for $2.3M
New focus boosting global supply chains
Private economy set to get boost from law draft
Young Ugandans tangle in the mud. They dream of becoming professional wrestlers
Links
- Xi, Uruguayan President Hold Talks, Elevate Ties to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
- Insights丨Former official of WEF: China's economic shift promising through sustainable development
- Xi to Attend BRICS Extraordinary Virtual Summit on Palestinian
- Ethnic minority students participated in a fun campus game to welcome the Asian Games
- Solving problems together
- Hong Kong greets 1.3 mln visits during Spring Festival holiday
- Xi Pledges to Work with Milei for Sound Development of China
- Spring Festival holiday sees 474 million domestic tourist trips in China
- Living in a world of love like never before
- Xi's Speech at the 30th APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting Published