解放日報
58歲的諾佈爾是英國皮佈爾斯郡的一位農場主。最近,她的農場再添新丁——6隻 “熊貓羊羔”。
據英國《每日郵報》報導,新出生的6隻羊羔與不同,它們的眼睛周圍有獨特的黑圈,面部是白色的,還長瞭一對黑耳朵,極像愛丁堡動物園的大熊貓。
羊羔和熊貓的關係本是八竿子打不著,怎會誕生出如此模樣的 “熊貓羊羔”?
諾佈爾在接受採訪時說,中國贈與愛丁堡動物園的兩隻熊貓甜甜和陽光去年沒有交配成功,她便萌發出繁殖“熊貓羊羔”的想法。
不過自24年前創建農場以來,諾佈爾從未進行過綿羊雜交繁殖實驗,她從去年11月開始,花費大量時間研究黑、白、雜色綿羊的遺傳背景,看它們能否完美結合。
雖然過程充滿艱辛,但結果如願以償。今年愚人節這天,第一隻“熊貓羊羔”誕生瞭,隨後其他5隻雌性熊貓羊羔也來到這個世界上。
避免洩露秘密,諾佈爾目前還沒有公佈用於實驗的綿羊種類。據悉,6隻“熊貓羊羔”中有兩隻來自蘇格蘭和冰島綿羊。
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