Today in TechChina celebrates survivor pig by cloning it
The topic of cloning tends to elicit strong feelings, whether you're for or against the idea of resurrecting fuzzy sheep, favorite pets, or wooly mammoths. But whatever your opinion of the practice, it seems somewhat appropriate to reward special animals by cloning their DNA. In that way, whatever qualities made them special in the first place might live on in their offspring after their death.
When a devastating earthquake hit China's Sichuan province, human casualties numbered in the tens of thousands. Less well-publicized were the countless animal victims of the disaster, with one possible exception: a 330-pound, 5-year-old pig that has since been named Zhu Jianqiang, or "Strong-Willed Pig." The creature languished under the rubble of its destroyed sty for 36 days, subsisting on rainwater and charcoal, until it was finally rescued.
Following that undoubtedly traumatic experience, scientists extracted the pig's DNA and used it to create 6 piglets, which reportedly resemble their dad. There's no word on the current fate of either the proud papa pig or the piglets, but hopefully the "wonderful pig" will be able to live out the remainder of his days in earthquake-free peace.
[Source: The Telegraph]
Article by Katherine Gray
This article originally appeared on Tecca
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