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Idaho Gem (right) will compete against Idaho Star (left). Photo: AP |
The world’s first cloned equine will challenge its natural counterparts in a race next month in the Nevada desert.
Idaho Gem is a mule that was created three years ago by cloning the DNA of a hybrid embryo between a donkey and a horse. The parent pair also produced a championship racing mule.
Idaho Gem will race against a cloned sibling, sharing identical DNA – Idaho Star – as well as competitors born through natural methods.
Idaho Gem, Idaho Star, and another mule created from the same DNA set in 2002 have been living in isolation for the past two years. Therefore, their performance capabilities may provide new insights into the roles of environment, diet, and training in animal development.
The race organizers stated that despite having the DNA of former champions, there is no guarantee that these cloned mules will succeed in the competition.
T. An
