A female stingray that was identified to be pregnant, in spite of not sharing location with a male stingray in at minimum eight years, has a reproductive ailment according to the Aquarium and Shark Lab in Henderson, North Carolina.

The aquarium really very first declared Charlotte the stingray was expecting in February, but social media folks have been perplexed about the absence of a start out announcement due to the reality she was anticipated to give starting to possibly 4 pups in about two weeks.

“The reports present that Charlotte has created a scarce reproductive illness that has negatively impacted her reproductive procedure,” the aquarium wrote on its Facebook web page Thursday. “The conclusions are essentially a sad and unanticipated healthcare progress.”

The aquarium suggests it is been questioned by social media clients for the name of the ailment, on the other hand, it seems to be outlined beneath the textual content material “reproductive ailment.”

“We are actively browsing far much more facts ourselves,” the aquarium wrote Friday on Facebook. “There have been scientific research completed on southern rays, but we have not located any but carried out on round rays,”

Asexual reproduction is specifically uncommon but has been documented in sharks, Komodo dragons, crayfish, and even a single case involving turkeys. As the Affiliated Press notes, there have been no documented circumstances of mammals reproducing asexually.

A video posted to the aquarium’s Facebook on March 23 confirmed the stingray swimming all about and noted no transform in her taking in, swimming, or resting behaviors. The aquarium stressed in a social media create-up Thursday that it is locating skilled healthcare concentrate for Charlotte and executing just about every issue it can to hopefully contribute to a greater getting familiar with of stingrays and the illnesses they deal with.

“Our priority is to concentrate on Charlotte’s wellbeing and wellbeing,” the aquarium wrote. “We will do the job with, and be guided by, veterinarians and experts to superior comprehend this ailment and the process options for Charlotte. Although the exploration of this illness is confined, we hope that Charlotte’s circumstance and clinical process will positively contribute to science and be of advantage to other rays in the future.”

“We sincerely recognize the unbelievable outpouring of genuinely like and help for Charlotte. You must regard Charlotte and her care group as we navigate this sudden news and do the job to determine the greatest path ahead. Updates will be supplied as we are prepared,” in accordance to the aquarium.