PHOENIX — It's time to go back to eighth-grade science class and talk about the reproduction system. Well, kind of!
A baby Brazilian Rainbow Boa was found in its mother's enclosure on Aug. 3. Now, why is that strange? The mother snake hasn't been paired with a male in the nearly 10 years it's been at the zoo, according to a release.
It is believed that the neonate was likely born through a process called parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction where an egg develops without fertilization by a male’s sperm.
Boas mainly reproduce through sexual reproduction and this boa might represent only the second confirmed case of parthenogenesis in this species. The first occurring at the Sacramento Zoo in 2018, according to the Phoenix Zoo.
Some reptiles reproduce exclusively through parthenogenesis and all individuals are female, a statement from the Phoenix Zoo said.
The mom can be found on the Forest of Uco Trail in the Boa Hut and the zoo plans to house the baby for guests to see in their reptile nursery area on the Children's Trail near the wallabies.
