An American crocodile isolated for 16 years gave a virgin birth. The study could provide an evolutionary insight into the reproductive capacities and features of extinct dinosaurs, the scientist said. The female crocodile has been placed in isolation at Parque Reptilandia in Costa Rica since 2022 when she was only 2 years old.
Crocodile Gave Eggs in 2018
Although the female crocodile remained in isolation for around 16 years, the officials at Parque Reptilandia found a bunch of 14 eggs lying beside her. The phenomenon is what the scientists called the “facultative parthenogenesis”, which is a type of asexual reproduction that occurs in species that normally reproduce sexually. Such a form of reproduction is common in snakes, birds, lizards and sharks, who are kept in isolation.
The Eggs Didn’t Hatch
The team of researchers said seven out of the 14 eggs were completely fine and the Zoo officials incubated those eggs. Scientists decided to open the eggs up when none of the eggs hatched after 3 months of monitoring. The leading researcher Warren Booth said only one egg had a fully formed fetus and it was completely identical to the mother.
