"Unprecedented: Stingray's Immaculate Conception by Shark"

The Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team ECCO in Hendersonville is eagerly anticipating the birth of Charlotte, a female stingray who is unexpectedly pregnant despite having no mate. The staff are unsure whether Charlotte's pregnancy is due to parthenogenesis, a rare process where eggs develop without fertilization, or if she mated with a male shark placed in her tank. Charlotte is expected to deliver up to four pups, and DNA testing will be conducted to determine their parentage. The aquarium is preparing for the potential arrival of "partho babies" or a mixed breed, and updates will be posted on Team ECCO's website and Facebook page.