Owner stunned after 'one of the rarest events in the animal kingdom' occurred at Telford Exotic Zoo
Staff at Telford Exotic Zoo were left stunned after an incredibly rare birth in their lizard enclosure.
A female casque-headed iguana, which is originally native to Central and South America, birthed eight hatchlings in Telford zoo at the end of last month without mating.
The apparent "virgin birth" occurred due to a process called parthenogenesis, which allows unfertilised eggs to develop into embryos, creating offspring that are identical genetic clones of their mother.
Speaking about the rare phenomenon, zoo owner Scott Adams said: "When we confirmed the eggs were fertile without any contact with a male, our jaws hit the floor.
"We were quite surprised when our long-term resident decided to lay some eggs, we thought, we'll pop them in the incubator," Adams said.
"hey stayed looking quite white, quite healthy. A couple of months later, we've got eight babies running around."
He added that all the babies were females "clones of mum" - dubbing it "one of the rarest events in the animal kingdom."
The hatchlings are living in the zoo's specialist reptile nursery, where temperature and humidity is controlled 24/7. However, the zoo hope to introduce the youngsters to the public enclosure in a few weeks.
"This is one of the rarest events in the animal kingdom," Adams added, noting that it is important for scientific education and the conservation of the species going forward.
