A scientist in Kazakhstan has bred karakul sheep that are turquoise in color, local media reported Wednesday.

Khismetulla Ukbayev crossed anthracite and platinum sheep, the Kazakh Khabar news agency said. The scientist used more than 1,500 sheep for breeding experiments and produced 24 turquoise lambs from them, or about 4 percent of all the lambs born.

The hairs of turquoise lambs are dark next to the skin and blue on their tips.

Ukbayev said there should be enough of the animals in two or three years to begin producing clothes and headgear from their skin.

A karakul sheep is a breed native to Central Asia. The newborn lambs usually have tightly curled black fur. The grown sheep's wool varies in color from black to tan and gray.

Karakul sheep are raised in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas.