Scientists Stunned As Shark Gives Virgin Birth

Nyiregyhaza, Hungary (AHN) -- Scientists in Hungary are lost in quandary after a shark in a local aquarium gave birth to a pup without even having contact with a male shark.

Staff of the Nyiregyhaza Centre said they were surprised when the seven-year old White-tipped reef shark gave birth to a pup even though the shark never had a male for a company.

"When I saw the baby shark lying on the bottom of the tank I thought it was a joke. I was amazed when I realized it was a real shark," said Centre Director Attila Varga.

"The mother is very protective of her pup, but as soon as we can, marine biologists want to get a DNA sample from both."

"There has only ever been one other example of a virgin birth (parthenogenesis) at a zoo in America when a hammerhead shark had a pup that was killed by a stingray before keepers could remove it from its tank.

"It happened in 2000 but it was only last year that a study of the DNA was complete and indicated the pup was from a virgin birth.

"But our baby is not only the first time it's happened here in Europe, but it's the first time a pup born asexually is known to have survived."

However, with news of the 'virgin birth' immediately spreading, the number o the visitors had more than double causing alarm for the marina management

"We are planning to build her a bigger tank, find her a male and then hopefully next time round she can have a baby properly," Varga said.

The mother, named Ibolya by a staff, was herself born at the same aquarium seven years ago.