South Korean scientists from Seoul National University today
announced they have successfully created the world's first cloned
wolves, a move to help the endangered species. Lee Byeong-chun, a
veterinary professor at the university, said the two wolves were
born on October 18 and 26, 2005. Seoul National University's office
of research affairs said DNA tests proved Snuwolf and Snuwolffy are
clones, with the research to be published in the next issue of
Cloning and Stem Cells.
The team of researchers has not turned over independent
verification of the DNA tests taken from the wolves. The team is
now attempting to discover if cloned female wolves are able to
reproduce. "In the case of animals on the brink of extinction, it's
hard to preserve them even with artificial insemination and in
vitro fertilization methods as their number is so small," the
research team said.
Seoul National University was able to produce the world's first
cloned female dog last year -- an Afghan hound. The university also
cloned a male dog in 2005. However, Seoul National University was
also involved in a scientific scandal after Hwang Woo-suk, a
cloning scientist who led a research team at the university several
years ago, was caught fabricating research. He was fired by the
university last March.
Byeong-chun also worked with Woo-suk several years ago.
