Charlotte the Stingray, Who Made Headlines for Mystery Pregnancy, Has Died: 'Great Loss'

The Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO confirmed that the California round ray has died

The Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO in Hendersonville, N.C. confirmed the sad news that Charlotte the California Round Ray — who went viral for her alleged rare pregnancy — has died.

“After continuing treatment with her medical care team and specialist, our ray Charlotte passed away today,”  Team ECCO said in a statement posted on Facebook on Sunday, June 30.

The team also thanked the community for their “continued love and support while [they] navigate this great loss,” noting that the facility will remain temporarily closed to the public while “the staff continue to care daily for our other fish and animals."

An official cause of death of Charlotte has not been released by Team ECCO and they did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

Related: Is Charlotte the Stingray Still Pregnant? Here's the Latest as Aquarium Shares Long-Awaited Medical Update

The news of Charlotte’s death comes after months of speculation and confusion around Charlotte’s pregnancy and health status.

In a livestream posted to Facebook on Feb. 8, Team ECCO confirmed that Charlotte was pregnant with four pups through parthenogenesis — or self fertilization — but were unsure about the timeframe for birth since it was a rare occurrence for round rays that lived to Charlotte’s age. The aquarium estimated that Charlotte was approximately "12-14 years old," according to the Hendersonville Times-News.

Concern for Charlotte’s health grew over the months after Team ECCO were slow to share updates on her condition. But on May 30, they announced that Charlotte developed a rare reproductive disease.

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”The reports show that Charlotte has developed a rare reproductive disease that has negatively impacted her reproductive system" Team ECCO said in a statement posted on Facebook. “The findings are truly a sad and unexpected medical development.”

While Team ECCO did not share specifics on Charlotte’s reproductive disease, they said in a Facebook update posted on May 31 that “we are actively searching [for] more information [on the disease] ourselves.” They added, “There have been studies done on southern rays. But we have not found any yet done on round rays.”

On June 5, Team ECCO also shared on Instagram that the medical experts that cared for the stingray confirmed “Charlotte is no longer pregnant due to her reproductive disease.”

“The medical team performed their biweekly, in-person assessment last night at the aquarium and reported that Charlotte is stable,” Team ECCO said.

“The medical experts are reviewing additional ultrasounds and testing that have been collected and sent out for recommendations for treatment options,” they continued. “We will collaborate on a medical care plan for Charlotte based on the entire medical file, and options available to her. Charlotte continues to be in her normal routine and content.”

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