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A Cama is a hybrid between a camel and a llama, produced via artificial insemination by a breeder in Dubai attempting to create an 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 and llama-like cloven hooves rather than the dromedary-like pads.
At four years old, the Cama became sexually mature and interested in llama and guanaco 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 distinct species, but distinct families, much easier and more likely to produce fertile offspring.
External links
- CNN - "Scientists produce first cross between camel and llama"
- datadubai.com - "Rama, the Cama"
- Guardian - "Bad karma for cross llama..."
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- This page was last modified on 2 November 2008, at 07:12.
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