
A Virgin Birth in an Unlikely Creature
Researchers Booth et al. (2023) in Discovery of facultative parthenogenesis in a new world crocodile describe a fascinating case of an 18-year-old crocodile on exhibit, alone, at a Costa Rican reptile park. Said crocodile had been in the park for 16 years, and the keepers believed it to be male, until one day, the croc began acting uncharacteristically aggressive. After some initial theories were put to rest, park personnel came to a rather strange conclusion - the crocodile was never male; she was in fact, female and aggressive because she was guarding her nest.