If you’re like us (and spend a lot of time on the internet), you’ve probably seen the news of Charlotte the stingray and her rare and mysterious pregnancy. You may be reading this and thinking,“Why is GVLtoday talking about it?” Well, did you know Charlotte is only 55 minutes from Greenville?
We were quite excited when we realized this national celebrity — who has been featured on CNN, the TODAY Show, Good Morning America, and CBS Mornings — is at The Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO in Hendersonville, NC.
Here’s why everyone’s talking about Charlotte:
- Charlotte doesn’t share a tank with a male of her species, and she hasn’t in at least eight years.
- She could give birth to as many as four pups any day.
- Experts have debunked rumors that small sharks living in the tank could have gotten Charlotte pregnant, which is what initially sparked national headlines.
- Parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction from unfertilized eggs with no genetic contribution by a male) is very rare.
Want to visit Charlotte?
The aquarium is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday at 511 N. Main St. in Hendersonville. Depending on Charlotte’s behavior, they host feedings in her tank (with the sharks) at 1:30 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.
It’s safe to say, your GVLtoday City Editors are on baby stingray watch. We’ll keep you posted.
