comScore
  1. Mediaite
  2. Gossip Cop
  3. Geekosystem
  4. Styleite
  5. SportsGrid
  6. The Mary Sue
  7. The Jane Dough
  8. The Braiser

Awwwwww

Thank Science For This Adorable Cat’s Existence

by Jamie Frevele | 1:16 pm, March 18th, 2011


After you’re done taking in the photo of this baby African Black-Footed kitten above (there will be more after the jump, I promise), here’s why he and his brother made the news today: they are the first animals to have been born from a frozen embryo via in vitro fertilization. Their birth is part of a larger undertaking to try to revive endangered species of all kinds using technology. The results so far? Adorbz. Remember when I said there would be more pics? Please, follow me!

Both kittens were born February 13, 2011 to a surrogate mother named Bijou. The sperm used to conceive them was extracted in 2003 from a 6-year old male named Ramses. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo Center for Conservation and Research – Reproductive Sciences Department then sent the frozen sperm to the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species and combined it with the eggs from a female named Zora in 2005. They were finally transferred into Bijou this past December.

Sixty-nine days later, the two kittens became the first of their species to be born as a result of in-vitro fertilization utilizing frozen/thawed sperm and a frozen/thawed embryo.

Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Ron Forman says: “We are proving this science works and that we can provide hi-tech options for many different species as the situation grows more and more critical for wildlife across the globe.”

(Zooborns)

TAGS: |


  • http://twitter.com/Coriana_Hunt Coriana Hunt Swartz

    OH MY GOD THAT’S CUTE.

    Though I gotta say, the second thing that pops into my head (after the above) is “So, how many steps from this to Jurassic Park?”

    ~ c.

  • Anonymous

    I have nothing to say but: KITTEHS YOU SHALL BE MINE.

  • http://twitter.com/MightySquid Kate Falanga

    OMCO! (Oh My, Cute Overload)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Emma-Jones/1539134495 Emma Jones

    They have a small surrogate mama. So adorable, all of them.

  • doodley doo

    that mama cat is just as adorable as the babies :3

X