Cloned animals debut in Iran and Dubai
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Two cloned animals made their inaugural appearances recently in Iran and Dubai.
Embryologists in Iran showed off their first cloned goat. The female kid, Hana, was born early Wednesday at the Royan Institute in central Iran.
‘With the birth of Hana, Iran is among five countries in the world cloning a baby goat,’ said Dr. Mohammed Hossein Nasr e Isfahani, head of the Institute. He added that the Iranians’ main interest in cloning is aimed at developing medication to treat stroke victims.
In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, scientists at the Camel Reproduction Center showed off Injaz, who was born April 8 and is the world’s first cloned camel.
Injaz probably will not be the only one of her kind. With camel racing popular in the area, certain animals prized for their abilities may become clone candidates.
Sadly, Injaz will never get to meet her cell mate. The donor camel was slaughtered for its meat a few years ago. No word as to whether Hana’s ‘parent’ also wound up on a dinner plate.
-- Kelly Burgess
Top photo: Iran’s first cloned goat, Hana, at the Royan Institute. Credit: Gholam Hossein Baharloo / Associated Press