The immaculate conceiver

By Michael J.W. Stickings

It's Flora, an eight-year old Komodo dragon (think The Freshman) at the Chester Zoo in England. She's pregnant:

Other reptile species reproduce asexually in a process known as parthenogenesis. But Flora's virginal conception, and that of another Komodo dragon earlier this year at the London Zoo, are the first documentations in a Komodo dragon...

Parthenogenesis is a process in which eggs become embryos without male fertilization. It has been seen in about 70 species, including snakes and lizards. Scientists are unsure whether female Komodo dragons have always had this latent ability to reproduce or if this is a new evolutionary development.

It's a fascinating story. Best wishes, Flora.