By IANS,
Dubai : After Dolly, the world’s first cloned sheep born in Edinburgh, the first cloned camel has been born in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a media report Tuesday.
The female camel calf, Injaz (Achievement), was born at the Camel Reproduction Centre (CRC) in Dubai April 8, the Gulf News reported.
“We are all very excited at the birth of Injaz as she is the result of great skill and teamwork of everyone at the Camel Reproduction Centre,” the newspaper quoted the centre’s scientific director Lulu Skidmore as saying.
“This significant breakthrough in our research programme at the CRC gives a means of preserving the valuable genetics of our elite racing and milk producing camels in the future,” the scientist said.
The embryo was cultured for seven days in a laboratory before being implanted into the uterus of a surrogate camel. Pregnancy was diagnosed 20 days later using ultrasound and monitored for the following 12 months.
“Injaz, who is 30 kilos (during birth), seems to be happy and is doing all the right things so far,” Skidmore said.
Dolly, the first cloned animal of the world, was born in 1996 in Edinburgh. The sheep, which died in 2003, was considered as one of the world’s most significant breakthrough.