Is this a hoax? How could this happen?

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High up on the Mesa, in the Grand Valley town of Collbran, a tiny four legged wonder sticks close to its mothers side. It is the latest addition to the ranch owned by Larry and Laura Amos. But this is a once-in-a-million, genetically impossible occurrence of a mule giving birth.

The mother of this beauty, is named Kate. She is a mule. Mules are a hybrid of two species, a female horse and a male donkey. Breading the two results in a species with 63 chromosomes. A horse has 64, a donkey has 62. A mule can't reproduce because you need an even number of chromosomes to divide into pairs.



Full story here:

http://kjct8.com/Global/story.asp?S=6846295

how did they "bread" the two?

well if it looks like larry...............

With a 50 gal drum of butter, and a swimming pool filled with breading mix.

Thanks Lulu - that was a cut'n'paste, and I missed the poor editing of the website. (Now it smells a little more like a hoax.)

i don't know, MT...i've found it on a few different news sites.

http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_6464853
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/2399773.stm

There are conditions (e.g. Down's Syndrome) where the individual has an "abnormal" or unusual number of chromosomes (those with Down's have extra) so why couldn't this mule have such a condition that, although rare, allowed it to breed?

Just speculating.

Also, nature has as many exceptions as rules- many supposedly "sterile" animals have ended up procreating.

Thanks, Lulu.

If this is true, than wouldn't that make this a genetically unique creature? Its the only known creature that is 3/4 donkey and 1/4 horse.

haha yeah a honkey

it may be that the mother was missing the genetic markers of HER father...who was ALSO the father of her foals.

hemiclonal transmission...her genes canceled his out.

@ warhead

Oh, so a hoax huh? wow - thought it might be seen at a prelude to the second coming, or perhaps the second coming itself - what a hand up to Karma that would be!!!!

Redy..


coffeeeeeeeeeeverywheeeeere!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL @ warhead!!!!!