Stingray Charlotte dies of rare reproductive disease, says an update
The mystery of the pregnant “virgin” stingray is solved
A female stingray named Charlotte in a North Carolina aquarium is pregnant, even though there are no males in her tank.
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Charlotte, the female stingray who gained popularity on the internet after it was revealed that she had become pregnant despite being the only stingray in her enclosure, has died from a rare reproductive disease.
“We are sad to announce that our ray Charlotte passed away today after continued treatment by her medical care team and specialist,” Team ECCO Aquarium said in a statement on Sunday. “We continue to work with her medical care team and research specialist. The Team ECCO family appreciates your continued love and support as we process this great loss.”
The aquarium added that it would remain “temporarily closed” while staff tend to other fish and animals.
Charlotte, who is housed at Team Ecco’s Aquarium and Shark Lab in Hendersonville, North Carolina, garnered attention across the U.S. and even had a drink named after her when Team Ecco announced in February that she was pregnant, despite being the only female stingray in her enclosure. The aquarium’s team initially speculated that Charlotte was a possible “stingray-shark hybrid” because Charlotte was housed with male sharks.
However, several scientists quickly refuted this theory, pointing out that such cross-breeding was biologically impossible.
“It’s like saying your dog and cat are having a baby,” Larry Boles, director of the Aquarium Science Program at Oregon Coast Community College, told USA TODAY in May about the possibility that Charlotte could be impregnated by a shark.
It was later revealed that Charlotte probably became pregnant through parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction that is scientifically interesting but, according to experts, not uncommon.
After the initial excitement died down, it was learned that Charlotte, who had been pregnant since about November, was almost several months overdue in February. Stingrays have a typical gestation period of four, maybe five months.
This new development caused renewed excitement online, with experts and those closely following Charlotte’s pregnancy debating whether the news of her pregnancy was a hoax or whether the stingray had developed serious health problems due to the animal’s appearance in the videos the aquarium had shared on social media. Concerns were also raised about Team Ecco’s animal care standards and its lack of accreditation.
“First, we don’t know if the animal was ever pregnant, but it shows an unusual body condition, even if we’re being generous,” Boles said at the time. “If the animal was pregnant, it would have had to give birth, so it is not having a normal pregnancy and is unlikely to give birth to viable pups. That alone is a reason for immediate veterinary care.”
Charlotte suffered from a “rare reproductive disease”
After what seemed like weeks of speculation, Team Ecco confirmed on May 30 that Charlotte “had been diagnosed with a rare reproductive disease that had negatively impacted her reproductive system.”
“The results are truly a sad and unexpected medical development,” Team Ecco said in its May 30 Facebook post.
The facility had stated that Charlotte’s health and well-being were its top priority and that veterinarians and specialists would be brought in to better understand and treat the disease.
“Although research into this disease is still limited, we hope that Charlotte’s case and her medical treatment will make a positive contribution to science and benefit other rays in the future,” the post said.
Team Ecco did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for more information about Charlotte’s case.
What is Team Ecco and who is behind it?
Team Ecco is a grassroots program founded and led by Brenda Ramer, a former public school teacher.
According to the aquarium’s website, it receives an average of 10,000 visitors each year. It also offers a variety of educational and internship programs in partnership with organizations such as the North Carolina Science Network, as well as local schools and tourism organizations.
It began in a small commercial space and is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) or similar programs, which generally require rigorous and thorough annual audits to ensure the quality of any organization that exhibits animals.
It is unclear which marine experts make up the Ecco team. The organization’s website does not list personnel details or the qualifications of the care team. In recent weeks, no specific veterinarian or scientist has been publicly named as a member of the organization’s staff.
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