Russia's First Cloned Hunting Dogs Still Thriving at Nine Years Old

Russia’s first cloned hunting laikas are living in Yakutia. The project began as an effort to revive mammoth cells but shifted focus to dogs. Two cloned puppies were created in 2013, each costing 4 million rubles. Scientists took tiny tissue samples from the breed’s top specimens and implanted them into a surrogate mother’s egg cell. This process produced two clones, named Kérecheene and Bélèkh. The latter recently turned nine years old.

The original dog, Syutik, served as the genetic source for both clones. When introduced, Syutik and her clone recognised each other without aggression and even played together. The clone later had offspring that inherited the ancestors’ working traits and excelled in hunting.

Participants in the Yakutia: Territory of Growth press tour met Kérecheene, one of the cloned Yakut laikas. Years after her creation, the clone also recognised and showed affection towards her former carer. The cloned dogs demonstrate preserved instincts and abilities from their genetic lineage. Their successful integration and reproduction mark a notable achievement in cloning technology. The project highlights the potential of such methods beyond their original intent.