New Delhi, India

A stingray that got pregnant despite the absence of a male of her species for many years at a North Carolina aquarium has died. In a post on Facebook late Sunday, the Aquarium and Shark Lab in Hendersonville said that the stingray, Charlotte, died after getting a rare reproductive disease. 

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In a statement, the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO said, "We are sad to announce, after continuing treatment with her medical care team and specialist, our ray Charlotte passed away today. We are continuing to work with her medical care team." 

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Officials at the aquarium were baffled by the unusual pregnancy. Earlier this year in February, they had announced that a stingray was pregnant with as many as four pups. 

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She had never shared the tank with a male stingray in at least eight years. 

However, the aquarium said in late May that Charlotte was suffering from a rare reproductive disease. They further added that it was trying to find out more about the disease. 

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It wrote: "There have been studies done on southern rays, but we have not found any yet done on round rays." 

A few days after the pregnancy was ended, the aquarium announced that Charlotte was no longer pregnant. The facility was forced to temporarily close on June 1 for the public. 

The aquarium announced on Sunday that it would be closed in the near future, but staff members would still be taking care of the other creatures and providing food. 

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The Associated Press said in a report that the pregnancy was caused by parthenogenesis, which is an asexual reproductive process in which babies develop from unfertilized eggs with no male genetic contribution. 

Mammals are exempted from this uncommon condition, which can happen to some insects, fish, amphibians, birds, and reptiles. Yellow-bellied water snakes, Komodo dragons and California condors are among the documented cases. 

(With inputs from agencies)