Scientists in the Indian state of Haryana have cloned a buffalo using foetal tissue. The female calf named Garima weighed 43kg and was born at the National Dairy Research Institute in the city of Karnal in northern India, according to The Hindu newspaper. "Garima is absolutely healthy and we are fully optimistic about her survival," institute director Alaska Srivastava said. India cloned the world's first buffalo in February, but it died of pneumonia within a week of its birth after being created from the ear tissue of a female buffalo.
Scientists cloned Garima using tissue from a foetus as part of a "hand-guided cloning technique" which allows the sex of the calf to be chosen. Mr Srivastava said India has the largest population of buffaloes in the world and that cloning would increase the percentage of elite animals in the species. * AFP
