Which statement about cloning animals is most accurate?

• A. It is generally more difficult than cloning plants.
• B. It is easier and cheaper than cloning plants.
• C. It does not raise ethical concerns.
• D. It guarantees healthy offspring.

Answer: (A)

Cloning animals is generally more difficult than cloning plants because animal cloning relies on reprogramming a somatic cell to behave like an embryonic cell, a process that is highly inefficient and often leads to developmental problems. Plants clone more easily because many plant cells are naturally totipotent and can regenerate into a whole plant from a small tissue sample, making the process straightforward, reliable, and cheaper in many cases. This contrast explains why animal cloning is expensive, technically demanding, and sometimes associated with health issues in the clones, and it also fuels ongoing ethical discussions about animal welfare. The other statements don’t fit because cloning animals does raise ethical concerns, it does not guarantee healthy offspring, and it is not generally easier or cheaper than cloning plants.