Indian scientists have produced a fawn from a blackbuck through non-surgical artificial insemination, stated to be the first time in the world.Blackbuck is a highly endangered species and the 1990 census reported only 38,000 animals. It is the fastest of Indian antelopes and found all over the country except the north-east. It is also the State animal of Andhra Pradesh and called nalla jinka in Telugu.
A 2.6 kg female named 'Blacky' was delivered on Thursday noon by one of the three blackbuck inseminated six months ago. The project was carried out by a group of scientists from the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES) of the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB). The technique of artificial insemination is not commonly applied in wild animals although routinely practised in domesticated ones. The government gave permission for carrying it out to produce the endangered blackbuck only after the CCMB successfully demonstrated the technique in spotted deer earlier.
(The Hindu, 25th August 2007)
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