The US Has a Cloned Sheep Contraband Problem

In September, a antheral from Montana was sentenced to six months successful situation aft helium trafficked a clone of 1 of the world’s largest sheep species. Court documents allege that Arthur Schubarth trafficked assemblage parts of a adjacent threatened Marco Polo argali sheep into the US from Kyrgyzstan and successful 2015 contracted with a laboratory to make a cloned sheep helium aboriginal named Montana Mountain King (MMK). Later, the documents allege, Schubarth utilized MMK’s semen to impregnate ewes and past sold offspring—each carrying immoderate Marco Polo argali genetics—to radical progressive successful large crippled hunting.

It’s a weird case. It’s apt lone the 2nd clip that an American has been prosecuted for a wildlife transgression that progressive carnal cloning. (In 2011 a antheral was fined $1.5 cardinal and ordered to surrender smuggled cervid arsenic good arsenic astir $1 cardinal of cervid semen—which investigators believed helium intended to usage to clone whitetail deer—in a lawsuit that progressive the unlawful acquisition and proscription of deer.)

There’s different unusual constituent to Schubarth’s story: Potentially dozens of MMK’s descendants whitethorn present beryllium astatine ample successful the US. These sheep that incorporate genetics from MMK are defined arsenic contraband successful the fistful of plea agreements that were signed by men who were alleged to person bought sheep from Schubarth oregon transported ewes to his ranch successful Montana to beryllium impregnated. What isn’t wide is however galore sheep are astatine large, and what precisely has happened to them.

However, ineligible documents connection immoderate clues. One ineligible filing successful the lawsuit against Schubarth alleges that successful November 2018 1 idiosyncratic transported 26 ewes to Schubarth’s ranch successful Montana to beryllium inseminated with MMK semen, and a twelvemonth aboriginal the aforesaid idiosyncratic aboriginal transported different 48 ewes. In July 2020, the aforesaid papers alleges, 2 different radical transported different 43 sheep to Schubarth’s ranch. That’s astatine slightest respective twelve sheep that whitethorn person carried MMK’s offspring—and each of those whitethorn person had respective lambs.

The aforesaid papers besides alleges that 1 of MMK’s offspring was transported from Minnesota to Schubarth’s ranch successful Montana successful May 2019. Then successful July 2020 Schubarth agreed to merchantability 11 of MMK’s grandchildren for a full of $13,200 and 1 of MMK’s children, a sheep called Montana Black Magic, for $10,000. It’s besides alleged that Schubarth sold different Marco Polo hybrid sheep to a antheral who lives successful South Dakota.

At slightest 1 sheep is accounted for: MMK himself. The sheep had initially been taken to a Zoological Association of America accredited installation successful Oregon, says Christina Meister of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Public Affairs. On October 2, MMK was flown crossed the state to Rosamond Gifford Zoo successful Syracuse, New York, wherever helium volition beryllium housed for the agelong term. MMK is expected to beryllium connected accumulation astatine the zoo successful mid-November, Meister says. (The USFWS declined to reply different questions posed by WIRED.)