2017, researchers from Chinese genetic engineering companies introduced the world to the world's first cloned dog, and now they have successfully copied the experience of Arctic wolf . The first absolutely healthy wolf cub was born 100 days ago, and the second one will be born in the near future. Such results offer hope for saving endangered or extinct species.
Scientists from Sinnokinda and Northeast Harbin Polar Park cloned Melville Island or Arctic Wolf for the first time (Canis lupus arctos). This is a subspecies of ordinary wolf, characterized by light-colored fur, distributed in the Arctic islands of North America and the Greenland . The company's CEO said the first puppy was born on June 10, 2022, and the second will be born in the next few days.
Previously, Cinoxkinda cloned a dog from somatic cells for the first time in the world. On May 28, 2017, the beagle puppy Lunlun was born. Moreover, Lunlun became the first genetically modified dog. Later, scientists successfully bred two healthy cloned puppies.
Arctic Wolf cloning project was launched in 2020. Scientists obtained somatic cells from skin samples of a female wild wolf named Mei. Mei was taken from Canada to Harbin Polar Park, and an beagle became the surrogate mother of the little wolf cub. Scientists point out that this process is not dangerous to dogs, and the health and life expectancy of cloned animals should be no different from that of ordinary animals. In the wild, Arctic wolf's life span is seven to ten years, while Maya lived in captivity for 17 years.
The first pup was born 100 days ago. He weighed 520 grams and was 22 cm long. His weight exceeded 1 kg on the 11th day and reached 4.6 kg on the 60th day.
According to researchers, cloning provides hope for saving endangered or extinct species. Cells preserved by frozen or otherwise can be used in the future to clone new individuals that will retain the reproductive capacity and can produce offspring that are indistinguishable from the average individual. Representatives of Cinnovate stressed that the technology will not limit the genetic diversity of in the population.
