- Cama (animal)
A Cama is a hybrid between a
camel and allama , produced viaartificial insemination by a breeder inDubai attempting to create a animal with the size and strength of the camel, but the more cooperative temperament of the llama.The Dromedary camel is six times the weight of a Llama, hence artificial insemination was required to impregnate the Llama female (matings of llama male to Dromedary female have proven unsuccessful). Though born even smaller than a Llama calf, the Cama had the short ears and long tail of a
camel , no hump andllama -like cloven hooves rather than thedromedary -like pads.At four years old, the Cama became sexually mature and interested in
llama andguanaco females. This first Cama has been a disappointment behaviorally, displaying an extremely poor temperament. A second Cama (female) has since been produced using artificial insemination.Despite approximately 2-3 million years of evolutionary separation, both Old World and New World
camelids have by chance maintained the same number of chromosomes, seventy-four, making this extraordinary cross-breeding between not only distinctspecies , but distinct families, much easier and more likely to produce fertile offspring.External links
* [http://www.cnn.com/EARTH/9801/20/cama.ap/ CNN - "Scientists produce first cross between camel and llama"]
* [http://www.datadubai.com/cama1.htm datadubai.com - "Rama, the Cama"]
* [http://education.guardian.co.uk/higher/worldwide/story/0,9959,755518,00.html Guardian - "Bad karma for cross llama..."]
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