Female Iguana at U.K. Zoo Has Babies Without Any Male Contact

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One iguana is putting a new spin on the concept of independence.

The Exotic Zoo Wildlife Park located in Telford, England, recently announced an extraordinary event: one of their female casque-head iguanas has miraculously produced eight baby iguanas, all without the involvement of a male, through a process known as asexual reproduction.

Allow Exotic Zoo to explain.

In a social media post on August 14th, the organization shared that these newly-born reptiles were particularly extraordinary. Unlike most lizards, they weren’t fathered by any male but instead had originated through parthenogenesis – an unusual natural process where the offspring are genetic copies of their mother. This rare phenomenon is found in certain reptiles, invertebrates, and other animals.

Among numerous plants and invertebrates like ants and bees, parthenogenesis – a process where unfertilized eggs develop into embryos, resulting in offspring genetically identical to the mother – is quite prevalent. However, this process occurring among vertebrates is comparatively less frequent.

According to Scott Adams, the zoo owner, when we discovered that the eggs were fertile without any involvement from a male, it left us utterly astonished.

When our long-term tenant chose to nestle some eggs, it took us aback. We had planned to put them in an incubator. The eggs seemed very clean and healthy, remaining a pale white color.

Then, he shared, a couple months later they had eight tiny lizards on their hands.

He commented, “Each one is a female, and they are remarkably like their mother,” he added humorously, “Moreover, they always seem to talk simultaneously.

Regarding Jurassic Park, Scott pointed out, “It serves as a remarkable demonstration that life can thrive even under the strangest conditions – a phenomenon quite uncommon among animals.

In regard to the casque-headed iguanas, native to Central and South America, the zoo reported that this particular specimen is one of the rare documented cases where parthenogenesis has been observed in zoos globally during childbirth.

The event is not just thrilling for the team at the Exotic Zoo, but they are optimistic that it might attract a larger number of guests as well.

Scott mentioned that this tale presents a fantastic chance to engage our guests in discussions about genetics, evolution, and the struggles encountered by reptiles in their natural habitats. He further emphasized that it’s not only fascinating but also crucial for scientific and conservation educational purposes.

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2025-09-10 15:16