Charlotte the stingray dies, aquarium confirms

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 of the mother. This has been observed in one of Team ECCO's sharks a few times, but it doesn't happen often with stingrays in captivity. 

Another possibility that was theorized was that Charlotte mated with a shark in her tank; the aquarium noted she had bite marks. Bite marks are consistent with some shark mating behaviors. However, WCNC Charlotte was able to VERIFY that it's unlikely that happened.

People across the world came together online to share theories about Charlotte's mysterious pregnancy and express anticipation for the stingray to give birth.  

But, Charlotte never gave birth to pups.

In May, the aquarium said Charlotte "developed a rare reproductive disease that has negatively impacted her reproductive system." The team said it was working with veterinarians and specialists to discuss treatment for her and see how it could help other stingrays in the future.

But the tale of Charlotte, the famous stingray in the North Carolina mountains, came to a sad ending on Sunday. 

"The Team ECCO family appreciates your continued love and support while we navigate this great loss," the aquarium said.

The aquarium said it will stay temporarily closed as the staff continues to care for its other fish and animals.

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