Cloned Deer Announced in Texas
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Texas A&M University is fawning over its latest clone: a white-tailed deer named Dewey.
The university's College of Veterinary Medicine (search) announced on Monday that Dewey was born in May, and is believed to be the world's first successfully cloned deer.
"Dewey is developing normally for a fawn his age and appears healthy," said Dr. Mark Westhusin, who heads the project. "He has been bottle-fed and spoiled rotten his whole life."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Westhusin said the school didn't disclose the news until it performed tests that confirmed Dewey was a genetic copy of his donor, a south Texas buck considered a huge trophy.
Researchers say the breakthrough could help conserve endangered deer species.
To create the clone, cells were isolated from skin samples from the buck.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A&M has now cloned five species, including cattle, goats, pigs and a cat.