Coyotes cloned by disgraced S. Korean scientist

A South Korean team led by disgraced stem cell scientist Hwang Woo-suk is claiming to have cloned coyotes for the first time.

The Sooam Biotech Research Foundation said Monday that eight coyotes were born in June as part of its efforts to clone various species of animals in co-operation with South Korea's Gyeonggi Province.

The province says it will raise the coyotes but will later donate them to zoos at home and abroad.

Hwang gained worldwide attention in 2005 for claiming to have produced cloned human embryos and extracted stem cells from them. He and his team later claimed to have created patient-specific stem cells from cloned human embryos, which would reduce the risk of the patient rejecting the cells.

Later investigations showed that he and his team had fabricated key data.

Hwang and his former colleagues also created the world's first cloned dog, Snuppy, in 2005, and that achievement was independently confirmed.