Spinster snake lays eggs without male help

Staff at Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri, say a female ball python has produced seven eggs despite having no contact with a male in over 15 years. The snake, identified by the number 361003 is over 50 years old, and the oldest ever documented in a zoo. Herpetologists are carrying out genetic sampling to find out if the python reproduced sexually or asexually, as snakes can store sperm for delayed fertilization.