The first cloned animal in the world was which of the following?

The world’s first successfully cloned animal was a sheep named Dolly, created in 1996 at the Roslin Institute near Edinburgh, Scotland. The cloning experiment was led by Dr. Ian Wilmut and Dr. Keith Campbell, and Dolly’s birth marked one of the most important breakthroughs in modern biology and biotechnology.

Cloning is the process of creating a genetically identical copy of an organism. In Dolly’s case, the technique used was somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This process involves taking the nucleus from a somatic (body) cell of an adult sheep and transferring it into an egg cell whose own nucleus has been removed. The egg is then stimulated to divide and develop into an embryo, which is implanted into a surrogate mother sheep.

Dolly was born on July 5, 1996, and was the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, not from an embryo. This achievement proved that the DNA from a mature cell could be used to create a whole new organism, changing the world’s understanding of genetics, development, and cell biology.

Dolly lived for six years and was euthanized in 2003 due to lung disease. Despite her short life, her cloning raised deep scientific, ethical, and philosophical questions about the future of cloning — not only for animals but potentially for humans.

After Dolly’s success, scientists have cloned many other animals, including cows, goats, pigs, and cats, for research, agriculture, and conservation purposes. However, cloning remains a complex and expensive process with a low success rate.

In summary, the first cloned animal in the world was a sheep named Dolly, a historic milestone that revolutionized the field of genetics and biotechnology.

✅ Correct Answer: D) Sheep