Virgin Birth at Belgian Zoo: Snake Gives Birth to 12 via Parthenogenesis
A white-lipped bamboo pit viper named Maria at Pakawi Park in Olmen, Belgium, has given birth to 12 offspring through parthenogenesis — a rare form of asexual reproduction where an egg develops without fertilization by a male. The snake had been living alone for several years after her partner died of old age, making the discovery all the more astonishing for caretakers.
According to VRT NWS, the babies were discovered on Monday morning when caretakers arrived to feed Maria. The event marks the first recorded case of parthenogenesis in a white-lipped bamboo pit viper in Belgium.
What Is Parthenogenesis?
Parthenogenesis — from the Greek parthenos (virgin) and genesis (birth) — is a form of asexual reproduction in which an egg cell fuses with a polar body, a byproduct of cell division that normally dies off. This triggers development as if fertilization had occurred, resulting in offspring that are genetically nearly identical to the mother.
Dr. Tim Bouts, head veterinarian at Pakawi Park, explained the phenomenon to HLN. “That is parthenogenesis, a type of asexual reproduction where female reptiles can reproduce when there is no male, in order to continue the species,” he said.
A Surprising Discovery
The caretakers were astonished to find the newborn snakes, as Maria’s male partner had died of old age several years earlier. Dr. Bouts, who previously witnessed parthenogenesis in Komodo dragons while working at London Zoo, immediately recognized what had occurred.
“The caretakers were astonished that Maria suddenly had babies, while her partner had died of old age several years earlier,” Bouts told HLN.
Unlike mammals, reptiles lack maternal instinct. The babies were immediately removed from Maria’s enclosure to prevent her from eating them. “Reptiles have no maternal instinct. If the young had remained in the enclosure, Maria would likely have seen them as food,” Bouts explained.
All Male Offspring
A striking feature of parthenogenesis in snakes is that all offspring are male. This is due to the ZZ/ZW sex-determination system found in snakes — females are ZW and males are ZZ. The babies are not exact clones of their mother but are genetically nearly identical.
“The babies are not exact clones of their mother, because they are always all males,” Bouts said.
The baby snakes are currently being hand-fed warmed pieces of chicken by caretakers and are already on display for visitors at Pakawi Park.
Scientific Significance
While parthenogenesis has been documented in several snake species — including pit vipers, boa constrictors, pythons, and rattlesnakes — this is the first recorded instance in a white-lipped bamboo pit viper in Belgium. A 2012 study published in Biology Letters found that wild copperheads and cottonmouths can reproduce via parthenogenesis at rates of 1 in 22 and 1 in 37 births, respectively, as National Geographic reported.
The phenomenon is believed to be an evolutionary adaptation that allows species to survive when mates are unavailable. NBC News noted that researchers have found virgin births may be far more common in the wild than previously thought.
What’s Next for the Baby Snakes
Dr. Bouts has suggested naming the 12 babies after the apostles, continuing the biblical theme inspired by the mother’s name, Maria. Once the young snakes are larger, they will be placed on a surplus list and transferred to other zoos as part of standard zoo network practices.
The white-lipped bamboo pit viper (Trimeresurus albolabris) is native to Southeast Asia and is a venomous, arboreal species. Females are ovoviviparous — they do not lay eggs but give birth to live young, which is why caretakers did not notice Maria was pregnant until the babies arrived.
For now, the 12 healthy male snakes are thriving under human care, drawing crowds of curious visitors eager to witness the remarkable result of one of nature’s rarest reproductive strategies.