A Female Iguana Gives Birth Despite Having No Contact With Male Partner
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Wild Animals

Virgin Mary? A Female Iguana Gives Birth Despite Having No Contact With Male Partner

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Jesus did say he would come back, but many people didn't have it flagged as an iguana. How else do you explain this immaculate conception? A  female iguana gave birth despite having no contact with a male partner.

Okay, it's not spiritual, but it is certainly rare and a bit freaky. In the U.K. at the Telford's Exotic Zoo, a female iguana gave birth. The eggas hatched to little reptiles with no father in sight.

"Check out the pictures of them coming out of their eggs over the last 24 hours," the organization wrote in a Facebook post, adding, "And these babies are EXTRA special."

Female Iguana Birth

The babies were born via parthenogenesis, which is a process that certain animals can undergo. "Fish, snakes, lizards, and even birds have all been observed to be able to reproduce without fertilization," the Smithsonian Ocean explains. Basically, "the babies are genetic clones of their mum."
It's also very rare.

"This is one of the rarest events in the animal kingdom," Scott Adams, the zoo's director, said in a statement shared with CBS News. "When we confirmed the eggs were fertile without any contact with a male, our jaws hit the floor. These babies are essentially mini-mum clones, and seeing them thrive is incredible. For us, it's a powerful reminder that life finds a way in the most unexpected circumstances."

Eight iguanas were born from one. Quite the story that's had to been seen to be believed. The iguana story is an exciting educational tool for the zoo. It will allow them to talk genetics and evolutionary function.

"This story gives us an amazing opportunity to talk with our visitors about genetics, evolution, and the challenges that reptiles face in the wild," Adams told CBS News. "It's not just exciting, it's important for science and conservation education too."

Now, if they start walking on water, call me.