Tian Tian, the country’s only female giant panda, has been given a new chance of having cubs. After seven years of failed pregnancy attempts, she has been artificially inseminated at Edinburgh Zoo with hopes of producing the first giant pandas born on British soil. The arrival of cubs would create panda pandemonium for the Scottish capital, with global attention and a multi-million pound tourism windfall.
It is not known whether a special consignment of panda sperm has had to be brought to Scotland for the fertility procedure or if it came from samples stored before her long-term mate Yang Guang was castrated after developing cancer last autumn.
Since Tian Tian and partner Yang Guang arrived at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo eight years ago there has been continual optimism they could produce cubs. Initial hopes the pandas would do things naturally floundered after mating attempts in 2012 and, over the next five years, Tian Tian was artificially inseminated on several occasions.
There were great hopes that Tian Tian – the name means Sweetie in Chinese – was finally pregnant in 2017 as she began showing the tell-tale signs of motherhood. As the countdown began to an imminent late summer birth, 16 year old Tian Tian’s hormone levels and behaviour suddenly reverted to normal, bringing the pregnancy dreams to an end.
Last November hopes of a home-produced cub suffered another setback when 15 year old Yang Guang, whose name means Sunshine, was diagnosed with cancer and had both testicles removed. Sperm samples from Yang Guang had been put into storage prior to surgery.
Announcing the new breeding attempt, the zoo said on social media: “Tian Tian had her annual health check and was artificially inseminated under expert veterinary care.
“We are pleased to say that all went well. It is of course far too early to say anything about the chances of breeding success at this very early stage.”
Panda pregnancies can range between 95 and 160 days but animal lovers on Facebook have been quick to post good luck messages.
One panda supporter said: “I’ve adopted the Pandas for many years and it would wonderful to hear the patter of tiny paws.”
While another added: “Good luck this time. We all hope she manages to have a little panda.”
Nothing is black and white in the world of panda sex, with females coming into season only once a year over a short window, while males are said to have to “fancy” their mates in order to perform naturally.
After Yang Guang’s testicular cancer was diagnosed with him having to undergo castration, the zoo announced how it would be having discussions with the Chinese authorities about “future breeding possibilities”.
Successive attempts at fertility treatment at Edinburgh Zoo since the pandas arrived in 2011 have consistently failed to produce a cub which would be both a conservation boon for the animal, now classed as Vulnerable on the Red List of Endangered Species, as well as a bonus for Scottish tourism.
When Tokyo celebrated a panda birth two years ago, experts calculated it would generate a £190 million windfall for the city. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which runs Edinburgh Zoo, agreed a £600,000 a year deal with the Chinese when the two bears were brought to the UK in 2011.
The RZSS ruled out a 2018 breeding attempt because experts wanted to “further assess the incredibly complex and unpredictable process”, with the pause allowing the zoo’s panda team and key specialists to consider scientific data and the experiences of both its own experts as well as those of colleagues around the world.
“We very much hope Tian Tian has a cub in the future and will be thrilled if this happens,” the zoo stated at the time. “Even without breeding success as yet, RZSS is playing a crucial role in safeguarding this magnificent species by helping fund conservation projects in China alongside international partners. These projects are critical, with fewer than two thousand giant pandas in the wild.”