ls this a new, woman-made species ?
Charles Arthur,Science Editor, reports from Dubai.
meet Rama, the cama. The what ? The cama: across between a camel and a llama . 'Cama' is Lulu Skidmore is technical director of the Camel Reproduction Centre in Dubai where Rama, the first cama in the world, was born Came's mother is a llama from a Dubai zoo, her father is a camel from the Centre. 'After' two years of ups and hard work, we've got a came!'
Llamas, one-hump dromedaries or Arabian camels, and two-hump Bactrian camels belong to the Camelidac family. They have a common ancestor but now live in totelly different places: camels live in dry, hot places in the desert regions of Asia and Northern Africa and can live without water for saveral days. They have short ears and a short tail.
Llamas live in the Andes in South America where temperatures can be -20 ํ celsius. They have long ears, a long tail and wool which protects them from the cold. They can walk in the mountains and carry heavy loads for 12 hours.
Young Rama has physical characteristics from both parents: the long ears, long tail and prized wool of a llama, and the size of a camel. This is good news:it can give more wool.
it is early days and there are many unanswered questions: can it live in mountains or only in deserts? Can it carry heavy loads and live without water for several days ? The scientists are optimistic.'We hope Rama has the best qualities of both animals,' says Dr Skidmore. 'Llamas can be very useful,but they are a bit silly. Camels can be stubborn. A temperament between the two is ideal.'
Theyalso hope that it is fertile: that it cam reproduce.If it can,the world has a new man-made,or rather woman-made,species,the cama.