A wild and endangered kitten was born to a domestic cat in one of the first inter-species embryo transfers.

The birth was the result of nearly a decade of research carried out by the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species in New Orleans (sources note it’s also possible the birth was the result of one too many tequila shots at the Christmas party, but this can neither be confirmed nor denied).

The kitten is the first of its species to be born to a different species surrogate mother via frozen/thawed embryo transfer using cryopreserved sperm, according to Zooborns, an animal research publisher.

Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Ron Forman notes at the time of the birth in 2012 that as science races ahead in other fields, reproductive research is making gains too. The birth is significant because it proves black-footed cat embryos can be transferred successfully to a much more common domestic cat. This gives endangered species experts another range of options by increasing the number of potentially available exotic cat embryo surrogate mothers.

What do you make of these leaps and bounds science seems to be taking every day? Tell us your thoughts in the comments and please SHARE with friends and family.

[Featured Image: National News and Pictures]