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Christmas virgin birth

BBC News: ‘Virgin births’ for giant lizards

There have been two reported cases of Komodo dragon “virgin births”

The largest lizards in the world are capable of “virgin births”.

Scientists report of two cases where female Komodo dragons have produced offspring without male contact.

One of the reptiles, Flora, a resident of Chester Zoo in the UK, is awaiting her clutch of eight eggs to hatch, with a due-date estimated around Christmas.

Kevin Buley, a curator at Chester Zoo and a co-author on the paper, said: “Flora laid her eggs at the end of May and, given the incubation period of between seven and nine months, it is possible they could hatch around Christmas – which for a ‘virgin birth’ would finish the story off nicely.

“We will be on the look-out for shepherds, wise men and an unusually bright star in the sky over Chester Zoo.”

By Matt Wharton

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