The saga of Charlotte the ray has come to a sad end… as the famous fish has died.
The Shark Aquarium and Laboratory in Hendersonville, North Carolina, shared a heartbreaking update… Charlotte passed away on Sunday while being treated for an illness.
After thanking fans for their love and support during Charlotte’s unconventional journey, her caretakers have announced that the aquarium will remain temporarily closed… but the other fish will still be cared for during that time.
Facebook/Aquarium and Shark Lab by ECCO Team
Charlotte became an internet sensation in February after the aquarium announced her shocking pregnancy… she hadn’t shared a tank with a male stingray in 8 years. There were many theories about Charlotte’s mysterious pregnancy… the most popular being parthenogenesis — a type of asexual reproduction. Some scoffed, arguing that another sea creature impregnated her.
It wasn’t long before Charlotte’s plight made its way onto “Jimmy Kimmel Live” as well as “Saturday Night Live” — where Ego Nwodim portrayed the viral stingray on ‘Weekend Update’.
However, things took a sad turn in the spring.
In late May, when Charlotte had not yet given birth, the aquarium owner Brenda Ramer issued an ominous update… Charlotte was never pregnant, but rather was dealing with a reproductive condition called diapause.
Brenda also hit back at those who accused the aquarium of spreading a pregnancy hoax, insisting they never made up details of Charlotte’s journey.
Charlotte is estimated to be between 12 and 14 years old… with a stingray living on average around a decade.
TO TEAR APART