Edinburgh Zoo monitoring pandas closely as mating season nears

EXCITEMENT is growing at Edinburgh Zoo after female panda Tian Tian showed signs she was coming into season.

Tian Tian took several dips in her pond this morning, enjoying the cool water in her custom built plunge pool. And experts said these seemingly inconsequential acts were a sure sign that she is starting to feel the heat and that the possible breeding with Yang Guang creeps closer.

Behaviour signals are now being seen in both the male and female pandas - Yang Guang has been eating double his normal amount of food, a sign that he is bulking up for mating - and, in nature, hormonal changes tend to be seen shortly after behavioural changes are spotted.

So far no hormonal changes in Tian Tian are evident, but Edinburgh Zoo believes it’s only a matter of time.

Female pandas ovulate just once per year and are then only fertile for two days afterwards. Edinburgh Zoo is closely monitoring Tian Tian’s hormones, couriering urine samples to the UK’s top endocrinologist early each morning. The results are fed back to the Zoo’s top animal experts every afternoon.

Iain Valentine, Director of Research and Conservation, said: “It’s a promising sign that Tian Tian is going into her pool. It’s not something she’s really done so far. Our Chinese colleagues have told us it’s a key sign to watch out for and she’s likely to be doing it to cool down as her body prepares for ovulation.

“Yang Guang is eating like a champion, going through twice as much bamboo each day as normal. Male pandas often do this to bulk up for the breeding season and get themselves in the best possible condition. Last night you could barely see Yang Guang for all the bamboo in his enclosure!

“His scent marking has greatly increased and Yang Guang is doing panda handstands to reach as high up as possible with his secretions to show Tian Tian how fit and virile he is. It’s very entertaining to watch.

“We’re very excited, but it’s important to remember that with animals and nature it doesn’t always go to plan. There are all sorts of hurdles to get through yet, Tian Tian may not ovulate as it’s not unheard of for pandas to miss a year, the pandas may not mate naturally and we might have to move to artificial insemination – who knows. We’re hopefully, but it’s just a case of being ready for all eventualities.”