Chinese researchers have successfully cloned an arctic wolf. The cloning was done by implanting a cell from a female arctic wolf into the embryo of a wild dog called a beagle. Beijing’s Sinogen Biotechnology Company cloned an arctic wolf named Maya last June. But they released the information after making sure that it was healthy after 100 days of birth.
Chinese media Global Times reports that Maya was born on June 10. Cinogene has released the video and pictures of Maya. Xenogen manufactures clones of pets like dogs, cats and horses according to the needs of the owners. But the Global Times says that Xenogene’s plan is part of its efforts to master cloning.
The DNA needed for cloning was collected from a fully grown arctic wolf. It was an arctic wolf that died in Harbin Polarland, a wildlife sanctuary in China. Born in Canada, this arctic wolf was brought to China in 2006.
Cloning using this arctic wolf, which died in early 2021, took months. Cynogen researchers produced about 137 arctic wolf embryos for this purpose. Of these, 85 healthy individuals were implanted into seven female wild dogs.
Because there aren’t enough female arctic wolves, Chinese researchers have relied on wild dogs that are genetically similar to wolves. Maya, an arctic wolf, now lives with her mother, a wild dog, in the Cynogene lab. But the Chinese authorities inform that Maya will soon be moved to an area with other arctic wolves.
Although this is an advantage for science, there are many opponents of cloning. One objection is that cloning would require surgery on many animals. Another is the criticism that it is not morally correct. There are those who think that cloning is like the work of God done by man. At the same time, proponents point out that cloning can bring back even extinct species.