The newborn twin cubs are seen in the picture. A seven-year-old panda gave birth to twin cubs at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province in June 2015. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Around the world, zoos try to make baby pandas a reality

By Zhang Chunyan and Su Zhou

With 33 pandas on loan from China as of 2014, zookeepers around the world have focused on breeding babies — a notoriously difficult task — as members of the public hold their breath.

In Britain, panda lovers have kept their fingers crossed that a baby cub could be conceived ever since two adults — Tian Tian and Yang Guang — settled in to the Edinburgh Zoo in December 2011.

Female giant panda Tian Tian at Edinburgh Zoo in Edinburgh, Scotland Monday, Dec 16, 2013. [Photo/IC]

Visitor numbers at the zoo rocketed after the arrival of the pair, and many people have continued to follow their story. Zoo officials believe that if Tian Tian, the female, becomes pregnant, excitement will intensify and images of the zoo will be seen around the world.

Besides generating a buzz, the zoo also hopes to make important discoveries about panda pregnancy that will add to the scientific understanding of the endangered species.

Every year, a special team at Edinburgh Zoo devotes itself to ensuring a successful breeding season for Tian Tian. The team includes panda experts from China.

To prevent noise from disrupting amorous urges, pilots flying over the Edinburgh area have been asked by the Civil Aviation Authority to steer well clear of the zoo to protect Tian Tian. Low-flying planes and helicopters could be a problem during breeding season.

After attempts failed to set Tian Tian up with her male counterpart, Yang Guang, she was artificially inseminated. It was the third time last year and she was thought to have conceived.

Despite her showing signs of pregnancy, she has failed to produce a cub so far, to the disappointment of the zoo and other panda lovers.

It is common for giant panda females to re-absorb a fetus into the womb in the late stages of pregnancy, and experts suspect that may have been the case with Tian Tian.

Australia also hoped pandas in that country would get pregnant. In 2013, the Adelaide Zoo's giant pandas Wang Wang and Funi failed for the third straight year to achieve pregnancy — both naturally and through artificial insemination. The zoo had to resort to importing panda sperm from overseas in time for next year's breeding season.

Since the first panda was loaned to the San Diego Zoo in the US in 1996, China has loaned dozens to other countries and regions.

Under an agreement for the species' preservation, any giant panda cubs born overseas belong to China and must be returned to the country after they turn 2 years old.