Ian Malcolm’s worst fear in Jurassic Park has come true thanks to an alligator that has been kept in captivity alone for the past 16 years.
Taken to a zoo in Costa Rica in 2002, the crocodile was left alone for years. But in 2018, zookeepers were stunned when they found 14 eggs.
None of these eggs hatched, but one developed into a fully developed fetus. Scientists say this trait may be inherited.
In fact, the idea of self-manufacturing is nothing new. This type of change has also been seen in sharks and other animals that have been kept away from male interaction for a long time, Treehugger notes. Some animals reproduce asexually, that is, they never need a creature of the opposite sex to reproduce.
Examination of the fetal heart showed a 99.9 percent genetic match with DNA from the mother’s shed skin. This confirms that the eggs were indeed fertilized without a male.
This phenomenon is called “parthenogenesis reproduction” and is seen in various species of fish, lizards and birds. It occurs when a species encounters a challenging condition and is often associated with conditions such as environmental stress or lack of mates. But crocodiles are not among the animals that breed this way.
Whatever the reason, it’s interesting that such an event occurs, especially when it comes to a crocodile that has been alone for a long time.
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