The pup hatched in a tank housing two female sharks who hadn't been around any male sharks in over three years.

Last February, a similar situation occurred in Hendersonville, North Carolina, when a stingray at the Aquarium & Shark Lab was found to be pregnant despite living in a tank without a male of her species. The aquarium determined the stingray, Charlotte, had developed a rare reproductive disease that negatively impacted her reproductive system.

A swell shark hatched but had no male present in its habitat. The aquarium’s team noticed the egg eight months ago, and it has been closely monitored. On January 3, the egg successfully hatched. The team determined two female sharks were in the tank and had no contact with a male in over three years.