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Arabia

Dubai scientists clone world's first camel

2009-04-15

" This significant breakthrough in our research program gives a means of preserving the valuable genetics of our elite racing and milk producing camels in the future "

Dr. Lulu Skidmore

[Al Arabiya Latest] The world's first cloned camel was born in Dubai paving the way for scientists to create elite-camels that can excel in racing or milk producing.

The female calf is named Injaz, Arabic for achievement, and was born on April 8 after five years of work by scientists at the Camel Reproduction Center and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in a project initiated by the ruler of Dubai.

The work started in 2003 when scientists developed a method to develop a so called "reconstructed embryo," an embryo which carries the DNA of a single donor camel using eggs harvested from a female and implanted into a surrogate.

Injaz was cloned from a randomly chosen camel -- slaughtered for food in 2005 -- and was the only calf born alive out of seven pregnancies. Scientists say in the future they will look into cloning camels specifically for racing and milk production.

"This significant breakthrough in our research program gives a means of preserving the valuable genetics of our elite racing and milk producing camels in the future," Dr. Lulu Skidmore, the center's scientific director, said in a statement.
[Repeatedly bashes head into concrete wall at the thought of people who pedigree their racing livestock and marry their first cousins.]

Posted by:Fred

#7 And twinz!

Posted by: swksvolFF 2009-04-15 12:37

#6 They do hold camel beauty contests

The legs are long, the eyes are big, the bodies curvaceous.

Contestants in this Saudi-style beauty pageant have all the features you might expect anywhere else in the world, but with one crucial difference -- the competitors are camels.

This week, the Qahtani tribe of western Saudi Arabia has been welcoming entrants to its Mazayen al-Ibl competition, a parade of the "most beautiful camels" in the desolate desert region of Guwei'iyya, 120 km (75 miles) west of Riyadh.

"In Lebanon they have Miss Lebanon," jokes Walid, moderator of the competition's Web site. "Here we have Miss Camel."

Posted by: john frum 2009-04-15 12:15

#5 On the list of animals I would ever randomly think of cloning... I don't find camels.

Posted by: 3dc 2009-04-15 11:47

#4 bad move, headbangers.

Posted by: newc 2009-04-15 11:31

#3 [Repeatedly bashes head into concrete wall at the thought of people who pedigree their racing livestock and marry their first cousins.]

Bashing your head on the ground 5 times a day leads to this.

Posted by: Beavis 2009-04-15 09:21

#2 [Repeatedly bashes head into concrete wall at the thought of people who pedigree their racing livestock and marry their first cousins.]

Well, could be worse, they could pedigree their first cousins, and marry their racing livestock. So, it's not that bad.

Posted by: anonymous5089 2009-04-15 08:23

#1 By the way, there in your region...how are we coming there with the challenges of Gastro-enteritis, poliomyelitis, tuberculosis, brucellosis, hepatitus, Avian Influenza, Leishmania, Mumps, Salmonella, and Shigella?

Posted by: Besoeker 2009-04-15 08:11

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