Tian Tian relaxes as the mother-to-be gets set to give birth
SHE is due to give birth to Britain’s first panda today so who can blame Tian Tian for grabbing the chance to take the weight off her feet?
The female giant panda was artificially inseminated in April at Edinburgh Zoo – with help from the other resident panda, Yang Guang.
Although notoriously hard to estimate, a panda pregnancy lasts five months and scientists have pencilled in today for the birth.
Dr Frank Goeritz, of the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin, oversaw the procedure which could lead to the first panda born on British soil.
In October 2013, Tian Tian suffered a miscarriage
Wild pandas are notoriously poor lovers and captive animals may find it even more tricky. Wild females have a choice of males – Tian Tian had just the one candidate.
Since the pair arrived in Scotland in 2011, their love life has been of intense interest. In October 2013, Tian Tian suffered a miscarriage after a similar procedure.
If there is the pitter patter of panda feet, visitors may have to wait until New Year’s Day to see the baby, which is a Chinese tradition.