A
Cama is a hybrid between a
camelCamels are even-toed ungulates within the genus Camelus. The dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the Bactrian camel has two humps. They are native to the dry desert areas of western Asia, and central and east Asia, respectively...
and a
llamaThe llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes mountains. In South America llamas are still used as beasts of burden, as well as for the production of fiber and meat....
, produced via
artificial inseminationArtificial insemination is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse...
by Dr Julian "Lulu" Skidmore, who helped develop the cama for the
DubaiDubai is one of the seven emirates and the most populous state of the United Arab Emirates . It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The Dubai Municipality is sometimes called Dubai state to distinguish it from the emirate...
Camel Reproduction Centre. The aim was 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).
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A
Cama is a hybrid between a
camelCamels are even-toed ungulates within the genus Camelus. The dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the Bactrian camel has two humps. They are native to the dry desert areas of western Asia, and central and east Asia, respectively...
and a
llamaThe llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes mountains. In South America llamas are still used as beasts of burden, as well as for the production of fiber and meat....
, produced via
artificial inseminationArtificial insemination is the process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female by using means other than sexual intercourse...
by Dr Julian "Lulu" Skidmore, who helped develop the cama for the
DubaiDubai is one of the seven emirates and the most populous state of the United Arab Emirates . It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula. The Dubai Municipality is sometimes called Dubai state to distinguish it from the emirate...
Camel Reproduction Centre. The aim was 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
camelCamels are even-toed ungulates within the genus Camelus. The dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the Bactrian camel has two humps. They are native to the dry desert areas of western Asia, and central and east Asia, respectively...
, no hump and
llamaThe llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes mountains. In South America llamas are still used as beasts of burden, as well as for the production of fiber and meat....
-like two toed pads rather than the
dromedaryThe dromedary or Arabian camel is a large even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula...
-like pads. All six camelids are pedopods, having two padded toes instead of hooves.
At four years old, the Cama became sexually mature and interested in
llamaThe llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes mountains. In South America llamas are still used as beasts of burden, as well as for the production of fiber and meat....
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
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
, but distinct genera, much easier and more likely to produce fertile offspring.
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