Charlotte the stingray not pregnant, has disease, says North Carolina aquarium: 'Truly sad'

A stingray called Charlotte who befuddled her aquarium team when she appeared to be pregnant without the presence of a male stingray is actually suffering from a rare reproductive disease, the group announced on Thursday, May 30. 

"We regret the delay of updates regarding Charlotte. This time was necessary to gather data and analyze lab and testing results," said the Hendersonville, North Carolina-based Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO in a Facebook post. 

Those tests, said the aquarium, "show that Charlotte has developed a rare reproductive disease that has negatively impacted her reproductive system. The findings are truly a sad and unexpected medical development." 

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Now, said the aquarium, "our priority is to focus on Charlotte’s health and well-being. We will work with, and be guided by, veterinarians and specialists to better understand this disease and the treatment options for Charlotte." 

The group added that research into her disease is "limited."

"We hope that Charlotte’s case and medical treatment will positively contribute to science and be of benefit to other rays in the future." 

Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO announced on May 30 that Charlotte, a round stingray, shown above, was not actually pregnant — but rather had a "rare reproductive disease."  (Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO)

The team asked for people to "respect Charlotte and her care team as we navigate this unexpected news and work to determine the best path forward."

A follow-up Facebook post on May 31 provided additional details about Charlotte's condition. 

The aquarium said it was "actively searching" for additional information about Charlotte's disease. 

"Good morning. Many are asking [for] the name of the reproductive disease, but it is simply found under that text reproductive disease," said the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO. 

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The aquarium said it was "actively searching" for additional information about Charlotte's disease, noting that while there have been studies done on southern rays, it had not found any on round rays to date. 

Charlotte is a California round ray. 

On June 1, the aquarium posted that it would be closed for the day to focus on Charlotte's care. 

Charlotte first made news in February after she was believed to have become pregnant despite not living with a male of her species for eight years.  (Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO)

This update comes about three weeks after the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO posted a cryptic update about Charlotte, saying that the stingray had shown "very little change" that week and would be receiving additional tests. 

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"We appreciate your continued support and excitement as we navigate this unfamiliar area of science and marine biology," said the aquarium in the May 8 post. 

The aquarium then turned off the commenting function, raising alarm among some people who had followed Charlotte's story.

Aquarium staff members feared that Charlotte had cancer when her body began swelling. (Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO)

Charlotte first made news back in February, when the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO announced that she was pregnant despite not sharing a tank with a male stingray of her species for nearly a decade.

Brenda Ramer, founder and executive director of the aquarium, told Fox News Digital in February that she initially feared Charlotte had cancer, as the round ray had begun to "swell" in recent weeks.

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An ultrasound, said Ramer, showed that Charlotte's swelling was not from tumors, but, shockingly, eggs. 

It was thought that perhaps Charlotte had reproduced asexually, or had possibly become impregnated by a male shark in her tank — and it was reported in February that she could give birth imminently. 

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Stingrays have, on rare occasions, reproduced without a mate in a process called parthenogenesis, said Ramer. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO for further updates on Charlotte's condition. 

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