[Animals] 'Maya' is born, the first cloned wolf pup in history

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China recently received 'Maya', the first successfully cloned wolf so far. This is his story.
The achievement was from a pet cloning company. Although it seems to be taken from a science fiction novel, this service is widely spread throughout China, as part of an accepted commercial dynamic. After years of trying, the first cloned wolf pup was born to an 'unlikely' surrogate mother, as described by Science Alert: a female beagle.

This is his story.

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a unique puppy

'Maya' and her mother were unveiled to the world at a press conference on September 19, 2022, orchestrated in Beijing by Sinogene Biotechnology Company. According to local media, the baby is an arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos). According to the Naturalista database, the species can live up to 10 years in the wild. There is a record, however, that they reach 18 years in captivity.

AT THE EVENT, A BRIEF VIDEO WAS PRESENTED INTRODUCING BOTH. ON THAT DAY, SAID MI JIDONG, SINOGENE'S PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, "TODAY IS EXACTLY LITTLE WOLF'S 100TH DAY AND HE IS IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION."

In a statement, the company assured that this is the first documented case of success in history. The species is listed as endangered on the 2012 Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In order to find alternatives for its conservation, the company has been experimenting with artificial fertilization procedures “in order […] to protect biodiversity,” they clarified in the statement. The investigation began in 2020 and, two years later, on June 10, 2022, 'Maya' was born: the world's first cloned wolf.

Also read: They find the region of Asia where wolves evolved into domestic dogs

How was the birth of 'Maya' possible?

This is what 'Maya' looks like today, the first cloned wolf in history | Credit: Sinogene Biotechnology Co.
In order for 'Maya' to be born, Sinogene had to take cells from a donor arctic wolf. The wild specimen was also called that, and was introduced to the Harbin Polar Park, explains the corporate. Once this sample was obtained, a fertile egg was introduced into the beagle dog, which served as a surrogate womb.

This is how Zhao Jianping, vice president of Sinogene, described the process:

"WE BREAK UP AND ENUCLIDE THE OOCYTE, AND THEN INJECT THE DONOR CELL INTO THE PERIOVULAR SPACE OF THE ENUCLEARED OOCYTE, AND THE SOMATIC NUCLEUS AND ENUCLIPATED OOCYTE ARE RECONSTITUTED INTO A NEW EMBRYO, THEN WE TRANSFER CLONED ACTIVATED EMBRYOS TO THE BEAGLE UTERUS FOR FERTILIZATION, AND THE BEAGLE GAVE BIRTH TO A HEALTHY ARCTIC WOLF PUP."

So far, 'Maya' has proven to be a healthy pup. She now lives with her mother in a Sinogene laboratory in Xuzhou, in eastern China. However, the plan is for her to be transferred to the same park where she originally took the sample to bring it to life. Thus, she will be able to live with other arctic wolves.

Still, park keepers think 'Maya' will have to go through a slow process of introduction. So that, although her upbringing was isolated, the rest of the wolves manage to integrate her into the pack. Meanwhile, the company assures that another cloned wolf pup will be born soon. Possibly, this time it will be a male.

https://www.ngenespanol.com/animales/nace-maya-el-primer-lobo-clonado-de-la-historia/