In bid to save Siberian ibex, China clones one

[Pale Blue Dot]

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/7839646.htm

China announced yesterday that its scientists had cloned a Siberian ibex, a threatened mammal that dwells in the crags of central Asia, in a feat sure to heighten debate over whether cloning can help save endangered species.

The week-old ibex is "full of pep" and "exhibiting a strong will to survive," a state television newscast reported.

Siberian ibex, which resemble mountain goats, were described by state television as "one of the most endangered animals in China." This ibex was born after cloned cells were placed in a common goat in western China.

China is seeking to rescue endangered and threatened species - such as the giant panda and the rare freshwater white-flag dolphin - through cloning, forestalling the threat of extinction, despite arguments from some experts that the high costs of cloning would be better spent on protecting animals in their native habitats.