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Stingray-jesus

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Part of a series on Animals. [View Related Entries]

About

Charlotte the Stingray Immaculate Conception refers to the pregnancy of a female stingray at a North Carolina aquarium in February 2024, who became pregnant even though there were no male stingrays in her tank. Scientists theorize that Charlotte may have been impregnated by male sharks that were in her tank for a period of time or that her pregnancy is the result of a rare process called parthenogenesis in which egg cells autonomously grow a clone of the mother. Either development would be extremely rare. The story was widely covered in the media in early 2024, prompting discussions and memes referencing it on social media. Many users on social media became invested in the story, posting about the possibility of a stingray Messiah or a shark-stingray hybrid.

Origin

On February 6th, 2024, the Facebook page of Team ECCO, the organization running the Aquarium and Shark Lab in Henderson, North Carolina, posted about an upcoming ultrasound for a pregnant stingray named Charlotte (seen below), remarking that there was no male ray present with her.[1] The post received over 680 likes in the course of 10 days.

Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO February 6 at 8:15 AM. Good morning Facebook followers! This is a post you might want to read! Our stingray, Charlotte, is expecting! We have held this close to our hearts for over 3 months. We have ultrasound images confirmed by two supporters: Dr. Robert Jones, the Aquarium Vet out of Australia, and Becka Campbell, PhD candidate at Arizona State Univ. The really amazing thing is we have no male ray! We do have a couple of possible reasons for this event. We will go live with our next ultrasound on Thursday Feb 8 @ 1pm eastern time. We hope you join us It is a once in a life time science mystery to take part in. Bj ramer 8:04:24 AM Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO Local Business 780 HOSP:TEAM ECCO NAME: Ultrasound AGE: : SEX: I 19-11-24 03:53:07 PROB: SEC-1 FREQ: 5.EM GAIN: 37 11 :37:2 108 /CCB /B 168 Send message 91 comments 121 shares

The Aquarium said that two male sharks had been in Charlotte's tank and caretakers had discovered bite marks on her body (sharks often bite while mating). Through a variety of social media channels, including a TikTok page, the aquarium provided updates on Charlotte's situation.[2]

Spread

The story of the stingray was picked up by late show host Jimmy Kimmel and was discussed briefly in a February 13th, 2024, segment of his show (seen below).[3]

Word of the stingray story spread on TikTok in February 2024, with posters discussing two separate theories, talking about the possibility of the baby being either a "shark ray" (a stingray-shark cross) or "stesus / steezus," an immaculately conceived stingray messiah.

TikToker @julesandthevibe endorsed the "stesus" theory in a February 15th, 2024, TikTok post, which received 2 million views and almost 300,000 likes in a day (seen below, left).[4] Also that day, TikToker @kjadeg posted a video explaining the topic and the different theories (seen below, right), receiving over 6.9 million views and 1.1. million likes in a day.[5]

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7335958887054560545
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7335764506557091114

A February 15th post on X by user @toepacktoe laying out the drama (seen below) as a text conversation between friends received over 318,000 likes and 21,000 reposts in the course of one day.[6]

Danielle @toepacktoe Never in a million years did I think this was going to be the topic of the vent I need to vent There's a pregnant stingray in NC and there was 0 male stingrays in the enclosure. They think she either self reproduced (sting Jesus) or one of the 2 male sharks in the encounter got her knocked up (shark ray) Today 7:52 AM 9:06 AM Feb 15, 2024 9.5M Views 531 21K 317K Hit me Read 8:20 AM 14K : (→

Various Examples

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7335222741303332139
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7335150680824352042
preston whaleiams @prestovision - 22h jesus said when he returned we would not recognize him and i guess that was because he's a stingray ??? Danielle @toepacktoe Feb 15 Never in a million years did I think this was going to be the topic of the vent I need to vent Today 7:52 AM There's a pregnant stingray in NC and there was O male stingrays in the enclosure. They think she either self reproduced (sting Jesus) or one of the 2 male sharks in the encounter got her knocked up (shark ray) 91 2.1K Hit me Read 8:20 AM ₁70K 口企
prozac & cody @kakicp 14h north carolina girls really can do anything ● Danielle @toepacktoe. Feb 15 Never in a million years did I think this was going to be the topic of the vent I need to vent ta Today 7:52 AM There's a pregnant stingray in NC and there was 0 male stingrays in the enclosure. They think she either self reproduced (sting Jesus) or one of the 2 male sharks in the encounter got her knocked up (shark ray) 8 ₁313 Hit me Read 8:20 AM 口企
Sam Stryker @sbstryker My new favorite niche online drama is a stingray at a North Carolina aquarium is pregnant despite not being around a male for years, and now experts are trying to figure if it's a "miracle birth" or if a shark got her pregnant: A single pregnant stingray hasn't been around a male ray in 8 years. Now many wonder i... From cbsnews.com 1:42 PM. Feb 15, 2024 77.3K Views 6 63 Subscribe 985 79 ↑

External References

[1] Facebook – TeamECCO

[2] TikTok – @_teamecco__

[3] YouTube – Jimmy Kimmel Show

[4] TikTok – @@julesandthevibe

[5] TikTok – @kjadeg

[6] X – @toepacktoe



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Charlotte the Stingray and a pregnancy photo from Aquarium and Shark Lab.

Charlotte the Stingray Immaculate Conception

Part of a series on Animals. [View Related Entries]

Updated Feb 16, 2024 at 06:04PM EST by Zach.

Added Feb 16, 2024 at 04:12PM EST by Aidan Walker.

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About

Charlotte the Stingray Immaculate Conception refers to the pregnancy of a female stingray at a North Carolina aquarium in February 2024, who became pregnant even though there were no male stingrays in her tank. Scientists theorize that Charlotte may have been impregnated by male sharks that were in her tank for a period of time or that her pregnancy is the result of a rare process called parthenogenesis in which egg cells autonomously grow a clone of the mother. Either development would be extremely rare. The story was widely covered in the media in early 2024, prompting discussions and memes referencing it on social media. Many users on social media became invested in the story, posting about the possibility of a stingray Messiah or a shark-stingray hybrid.

Origin

On February 6th, 2024, the Facebook page of Team ECCO, the organization running the Aquarium and Shark Lab in Henderson, North Carolina, posted about an upcoming ultrasound for a pregnant stingray named Charlotte (seen below), remarking that there was no male ray present with her.[1] The post received over 680 likes in the course of 10 days.


Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO February 6 at 8:15 AM. Good morning Facebook followers! This is a post you might want to read! Our stingray, Charlotte, is expecting! We have held this close to our hearts for over 3 months. We have ultrasound images confirmed by two supporters: Dr. Robert Jones, the Aquarium Vet out of Australia, and Becka Campbell, PhD candidate at Arizona State Univ. The really amazing thing is we have no male ray! We do have a couple of possible reasons for this event. We will go live with our next ultrasound on Thursday Feb 8 @ 1pm eastern time. We hope you join us It is a once in a life time science mystery to take part in. Bj ramer 8:04:24 AM Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO Local Business 780 HOSP:TEAM ECCO NAME: Ultrasound AGE: : SEX: I 19-11-24 03:53:07 PROB: SEC-1 FREQ: 5.EM GAIN: 37 11 :37:2 108 /CCB /B 168 Send message 91 comments 121 shares

The Aquarium said that two male sharks had been in Charlotte's tank and caretakers had discovered bite marks on her body (sharks often bite while mating). Through a variety of social media channels, including a TikTok page, the aquarium provided updates on Charlotte's situation.[2]

Spread

The story of the stingray was picked up by late show host Jimmy Kimmel and was discussed briefly in a February 13th, 2024, segment of his show (seen below).[3]



Word of the stingray story spread on TikTok in February 2024, with posters discussing two separate theories, talking about the possibility of the baby being either a "shark ray" (a stingray-shark cross) or "stesus / steezus," an immaculately conceived stingray messiah.

TikToker @julesandthevibe endorsed the "stesus" theory in a February 15th, 2024, TikTok post, which received 2 million views and almost 300,000 likes in a day (seen below, left).[4] Also that day, TikToker @kjadeg posted a video explaining the topic and the different theories (seen below, right), receiving over 6.9 million views and 1.1. million likes in a day.[5]

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7335958887054560545
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7335764506557091114

A February 15th post on X by user @toepacktoe laying out the drama (seen below) as a text conversation between friends received over 318,000 likes and 21,000 reposts in the course of one day.[6]


Danielle @toepacktoe Never in a million years did I think this was going to be the topic of the vent I need to vent There's a pregnant stingray in NC and there was 0 male stingrays in the enclosure. They think she either self reproduced (sting Jesus) or one of the 2 male sharks in the encounter got her knocked up (shark ray) Today 7:52 AM 9:06 AM Feb 15, 2024 9.5M Views 531 21K 317K Hit me Read 8:20 AM 14K : (→

Various Examples

https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7335222741303332139
https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7335150680824352042
preston whaleiams @prestovision - 22h jesus said when he returned we would not recognize him and i guess that was because he's a stingray ??? Danielle @toepacktoe Feb 15 Never in a million years did I think this was going to be the topic of the vent I need to vent Today 7:52 AM There's a pregnant stingray in NC and there was O male stingrays in the enclosure. They think she either self reproduced (sting Jesus) or one of the 2 male sharks in the encounter got her knocked up (shark ray) 91 2.1K Hit me Read 8:20 AM ₁70K 口企 prozac & cody @kakicp 14h north carolina girls really can do anything ● Danielle @toepacktoe. Feb 15 Never in a million years did I think this was going to be the topic of the vent I need to vent ta Today 7:52 AM There's a pregnant stingray in NC and there was 0 male stingrays in the enclosure. They think she either self reproduced (sting Jesus) or one of the 2 male sharks in the encounter got her knocked up (shark ray) 8 ₁313 Hit me Read 8:20 AM 口企 Sam Stryker @sbstryker My new favorite niche online drama is a stingray at a North Carolina aquarium is pregnant despite not being around a male for years, and now experts are trying to figure if it's a "miracle birth" or if a shark got her pregnant: A single pregnant stingray hasn't been around a male ray in 8 years. Now many wonder i... From cbsnews.com 1:42 PM. Feb 15, 2024 77.3K Views 6 63 Subscribe 985 79 ↑


External References

[1] Facebook – TeamECCO

[2] TikTok – @_teamecco__

[3] YouTube – Jimmy Kimmel Show

[4] TikTok – @@julesandthevibe

[5] TikTok – @kjadeg

[6] X – @toepacktoe

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Top Comments

The Sea-Dumpling
The Sea-Dumpling

Stingray: Reproduces through parthenogenesis (a normal biologial process that a fair number of fish, lizards, birds, insects, cnidarians, and amphibians already do regularly)

People on TikTok: OMG IMMACULATE CONCEPTION!!! IT MUST BE A SHARK/RAY HYBRID!!! IT'S THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS!!!!!!!!!!

My reaction:

+45

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