Scientists produce first cross between camel and llama

Dr. Lulu Skidmore with Rama, who was born last week at the Camel Reproduction Center in Dubai

January 20, 1998
Web posted at: 6:37 p.m. EST (2337 GMT)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- It's been a bumpy ride, but Rama the Cama -- the offspring of a camel and its Andean cousin, the llama -- has brought together what 30 million years of evolution and continental drift rent asunder.

Scientists in the Emirates said Tuesday that it took two years to perfect the artificial insemination technique necessary to breed Rama's llama mom, a petite 165 pounds, with his overwhelming dad, who weighs in at 990 pounds.

The male animal was born last Wednesday, said Dr. Lulu Skidmore, a specialist in camel reproduction. It weighed 12 pounds at birth.

"We hope it will have the best qualities of both animals," said Skidmore, technical director of the Camel Reproduction Center in Dubai. "In size, it's somewhere between a camel and a llama."

The newborn has the short ears and long tail of a camel, but the cloven hooves of a llama, distinct from the single footpad of the camel. He was born, too, without his father's hump.

According to Skidmore, Rama should be more mild-mannered than his camel ancestors

For now, he is being bottle-fed on camel's milk. "If we can combine the best qualities of both animals, we can have a super animal," said Skidmore, a British citizen.

She said the cama should have the prized fleece of the llama, native to the South American Andes, but because of its larger size it should give more wool.

"In temperament it should also be calmer than a camel, and therefore better suited as a track animal," Skidmore said.

The camel and the llama descend from a species that lived about 30 million years ago.

Copyright 1998   The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Related sites:

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

• Dubai Online
• UAE interact
• Wildlife Web
  • Wildlife Links - Mammals

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

---

 

---

Sound off on our message boards & chat