Scientists in China have successfully created the world’s first cloned arctic wolf. Using the latest in biotechnology, Beijing-based firm Sinogene Biotechnology Co was able to achieve the final result, which it said will help in conservation of endangered species. The firm announced the debut of the arctic wolf pup on Monday, 100 days after its birth, according to a report in Global Times. Born on June 10, the wolf named Maya, is in very good health, the outlet further said.

“To save the endangered animal, we started the research cooperation with Harbin Polarland on cloning the arctic wolf in 2020. After two years of painstaking efforts, the arctic wolf was cloned successfully. It is the first case of its kind in the world,” Mi Jidong, the general manager of Sinogene Biotechnology Co, said at a press conference in Beijing.

South China Morning Post (SCMP) said 16-year-old Maya arctic wolf named Maya died in August last year. Sinogene Biotechnology put her cells into an egg from a female Beagle, which shares genetic ancestry with arctic wolves.

The cloning involved creation of 137 new embryos and transfer of 85 of them to the uteri of seven beagles. One of them was born as a healthy wolf.

Speaking about the breakthrough, Chinese expert He Zhengming told Global Times that cloned animals can reproduce fertilised egg. He added that cloning technology can copy all the genetic information for selective breeding.

This is not the first time that the Chinese firm has cloned an animal. In 2019, it cloned a cat using a similar technology.

The first animal to be cloned was Dolly the sheep in 1996. It died in February, 2003, from a lung infection.