DNA tests have confirmed that a Moroccan mule did give birth to a foal. Veterinary experts say the foal's father was a donkey and its mother a true mule.
The foal inherited a mixture of horse and donkey chromosomes via the mother's ovum
Gigi Kay, Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad The discovery defies scientific wisdom because mules are supposed to be sterile.
Mules are hybrids - a cross between two species - in this case, the horse and the donkey.
They are almost always unable to breed because their genetic make-up is so unusual.
The 14-year-old mother mule gave birth at the end of August, in a small hamlet in the region of Oulmes, 80 kilometres south of the ancient city of Fez.
Odd looks
Vets from the Society for the Protection of Animals of Abroad (Spana) visited the animal and took blood tests for analysis.
The mule has become a local attraction
"Those tests confirmed that the mother is a mule with each of her blood groups made up of both horse and donkey alleles, or genetic material - in other words she is a true equine/asinine hybrid," veterinary director Gigi Kay told BBC News Online.
"The blood results from the foal indicate that the father was a donkey.
"It shows that the foal inherited a mixture of horse and donkey chromosomes via the mother's ovum."
The Moroccan foal looks a bit like a baby donkey and a bit like a baby mule - but not exactly like either.
Genetically, it is about a quarter horse and three quarters donkey.
Would be 'astounding'
Despite the results of the blood tests, some experts are still unconvinced.
John Pycock, a specialist in equine reproduction at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, said such a birth would be "astounding".
"I'm very sceptical of a mule giving birth after being covered," he said.
But he added that it had been shown that mules could give birth to embryos transplanted into the womb artificially.
A horse has 64 chromosomes and a donkey has 62, so a mule is left with 63, an uneven number which cannot divide into chromosome pairs. This should make a mule unable to reproduce.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/23/2005 02:11 by Krim.
"Hé ! bonjour, Monsieur du Corbeau.
Que vous êtes joli ! que vous me semblez beau !
Sans mentir, si votre ramage
Se rapporte à votre plumage,
Vous êtes le Phénix des hôtes de ces bois."
L9bi7 a foal or a colt is a baby horse or such cathegory and I have no idea what's it in arabic but I don't think we should name the offspring of the mule and the dunky a foal.... So let's create a name for this new species Ah by the way my Grandma(Allah Yrhama) used to tell me that the end of the world will come if the Mule gave birth so Yasubhana ALLAH????? We'll live and see
hey Krim, Sorry brother I didn't mean anything with my previous message other than giving a response to brother l9bi7 besides what I am aware off is the Foal or the Colt are the names for the offspring of the Horse, donkey and such family yet the offspring of the Mule so far there was no such species so I was just kidding when stating that we should create a name for this Bran new species otherwise if that makes u upset than we won't and leave it as it pleases u my dear brother Peace and take it easy!! DeadRose, I know there are a lots of Saying and we gotta prepare ourselves hmmmm
Muammar Gaddafi offers to set up a new state v Isratine
The most radical way for settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict was set forth by the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. His idea is to set up a new democratic state, Isratine, instead of the present Israel and Palestine. Gaddafi thinks that the unarmed Jews and Palestinians will be able to live there in peace.
The Libyan leader said in an interview to Al-Jazeera that if Jews want peace, they must give up their weapons together with their Palestinian neighbors. Gaddafi rejected the Saudi plan, which is currently being discussed on all levels of world politics, and stated it is unreal. He believes that it is impossible to set up an independent Palestinian state next to Israel. Israel will simply not agree to live within striking distance of Palestinian weapons.
Muammar Gaddafi already announced his peace plan at the Arab summit last year. His plan includes the requirement of the total elimination of weapons of mass destruction in the region and the return of the seven million Palestinian refugees back to their fatherland. As Gaddafi believes, Israel must leave the seized Syrian territories in addition to the destruction of its nuclear weapon. Only in this case, the Jewish state may hope for the peace with the Arab countries.
Sergey Borisov
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/24/2005 11:46 by Krim.
chargement...
Besides there are many other signs... 
