Charlotte the Stingray: Aquarium confirms Charlotte has died [Video]

HENDERSONVILLE, N.C. — The once ‘mysteriously pregnant’ stingray in North Carolina has died, according to staff at her aquarium.

“We are sad to announce, after continuing treatment with her medical care team and specialist, our ray Charlotte passed away today,” the aquarium said, “We are continuing to work with her medical care team and research specialist.”

Charlotte’s pregnancy caught Team ECCO by surprise in February, when it was discovered. The news soon took over the internet, as the stingray’s pregnancy was shrouded in mystery. 

The tank Charlotte was in had no other male stingrays, but she turned up pregnant with up to four pups, the aquarium said. At the time, the aquarium theorized Charlotte reproduced via parthenogenesis. 

Parthenogenesis is when a female stingray develops an egg in which the cells inside it split to create a clone …