Giant Scottish attraction Tian Tian 'probably pregnant', declares boffin
A MAJOR visitor attraction seen by hundreds of Ross-shire folk since her arrival in Scotland from China could give birth next month.
Speculation surrounding the possible pregnancy or Tian Tian, Edinburgh Zoo's giant panda, has rumbled on for more than a year.
However today, Iain Valentine, Director of Giant Pandas for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said: “The latest scientific data suggests Tian Tian the giant panda is now pregnant and that implantation has taken place, therefore she may give birth at the end of the month.
"This is all very new and complex science and we still have a bit of time to go yet, as like last year, the late loss of a cub remains entirely possible."
Artificial insemination was carried out on Tian Tian on Sunday, April 13.
A team of experts has since analysed specific hormone and protein levels on a daily basis in Tian Tian’s urine.
This information allows boffins to predict if she is pregnant, if she is likely to carry to full term and when she is likely to give birth.
Mr Valentine cautioned: "It is very likely that we will not know 100 per cent if Tian Tian is pregnant until she gives birth; however very new scientific tests will give us a strong indication, they are just too new to be definitive.
“Monitoring a female giant pandas behaviour - for example if she is sleeping a lot, eating more or spending time in her cubbing den - is not an indicator of if she is pregnant or otherwise, as giant pandas experience pseudo pregnancies and she will show ‘pregnant’ type behaviour whether she is pregnant or not.
“Two of our Chinese colleagues are due to travel to Scotland in mid-August and we continue to monitor and wait.”
In 2013, RZSS successfully performed the first artificial insemination procedure to take place on a giant panda in the UK.
The team have since been able to confirm that Tian Tian did become pregnant - however most likely reabsorbed the foetus late term – a common occurrence in giant pandas both in zoos and the wild.
Since they took up residence in December 2011, Yang Guang and Tian Tian have become two of the capital city's best-known characters, attracting visitors from around the world.
The arrival of the giant pandas - understood to cost £600,000 a year under an agreement struck with the Chinese authorities - has helped to immediately reverse a decline in visitors to the zoo.
Have you seen Tian Tian? Do you plan to? Excited by this news? Share your thoughts with us by emailing editor@rsjournal.co.uk or tweet us @Rossnews