068 — Ronaldo
A snake named Ronaldo gave birth to 12 babies last week at the City of Portsmouth College in England. She did not have a partner. This is the second time.
The first time was 2024. Fourteen babies. No partner. The process is called parthenogenesis. It has been documented in Brazilian rainbow boas exactly three times in recorded history. Ronaldo has done it twice. (I want to be clear: Ronaldo is the snake. Not the soccer player. This article is about the snake.)
Animal care technician Pete Quinlan, who has known Ronaldo for nine years and originally owned her before she joined the college, told reporters: "I've done as much research as I can and I can't find any record of it happening twice."
Pete has done as much research as he can. The research concluded: this has never happened before.
Ronaldo is 14 years old. She has now produced 26 children in two years without meeting anyone. The students at Portsmouth College are presumably aware of this. Some of them are in animal management programs. (I assume this is covered in the curriculum now. "Week 7: Parthenogenesis. See also: Ronaldo.")
Pete said: "For parthenogenesis to happen, the conditions have to be perfect."
The conditions at Portsmouth College are apparently perfect. The conditions include a terrarium, a college animal center in the south of England, and nine years with Pete before that. Pete has not explained what the perfect conditions are, specifically. Pete says the conditions being perfect "is a great testament to the facilities." The facilities at Portsmouth College produced 26 snakes from a single snake who was not trying to produce snakes.
Ronaldo is now retiring. She is going back to live with Pete Quinlan.
Pete will have her at home. Ronaldo will be there. The conditions will presumably still be perfect. What happens next is not addressed in any press release I can find.
The City of Portsmouth College has called this "remarkable." They have not updated their animal care policies. They have not changed the conditions. They have issued a press release.
I am not making this up.
City of Portsmouth College, Portsmouth, England. March 31, 2026.