Re: I could have sworn I heard a dolphin bark

Michael M. Butler (butler@comp*lib.org)
Sun, 25 Jan 1998 20:53:54 -0800


Fascinating if true.

MMB

At 02:22 PM 1/26/98 +0000, you wrote:
>Dunno if this is true or walrus-shit. I searched hither & yon on the net,
>couldn't find any substantiation:
>
>Forwarded from Sci.bio.ecology:
>
>
>January 25th
>
>An AP story today reported two scientists at the Charleston
>Oceanographic Institute have successfully genetically engineered the
>first mammal hybrid. The Scientists, Dr. Lisa Velasquez and Dr.
>Michael Poczkinsky, used bits of genetic material from both a
>bottle-nosed dolphin and the egg of a walrus, fertilized in vitro, and
>implanted into an adult walrus for gestation. The healthy offspring,
>termed a "Dolrus", seems healthy and is now three months old.
>Phenotypically, it has the features of a somewhat larger dolphin, only
>it is able to carry itself out of the water and locomote on land. The
>Dolrus appears to have the breathing apparatus of the dolphin, but
>preliminary study seems to show tusks will develop much like the
>walrus.
>
>Damien Broderick
>
>
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