The Sardinian mouflon is one of the most emblematic species of the island's wildlife, as well as one of the oldest animals in the entire Mediterranean basin. It is a subspecies of the European mouflon, but with distinctive features resulting from evolution in isolation, in the rugged and wild territories of Sardinia.
Unfortunately, this species is now classified as vulnerable, due to habitat reduction, illegal hunting and the risk of hybridization with domestic sheep breeds. For years, conservation and repopulation projects aimed at safeguarding the mouflon have been underway, with the contribution of the national and international scientific community.
Among these, an extraordinary case stands out: the birth of Ombretta, the first successfully cloned mouflon. It was 2003 when, thanks to a project conducted by the National Research Council (CNR) and the Experimental Zooprophylactic Institute of Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, one of the most advanced enterprises in the field of cloning applied to wild fauna was achieved.
Ombretta – the name chosen in homage to Ombretta Colli, Giorgio Gaber's wife – was born seven years after the famous Dolly the sheep. Unlike other experiments, she was reintroduced into the natural environment, precisely in the mountains of Sardinia, becoming a symbol of science that supports nature.
Guinness World Records has recognized this event as “the first case of a rare animal cloned and reintroduced into nature”, a record that combines scientific research and the protection of Sardinia's environmental identity.
The new volume of the Ilisso series “I Protagonisti della Natura” is dedicated to this extraordinary species, available from Saturday 10 May at newsstands with L'Unione Sarda.
