Edinburgh Zoo panda Tian Tian 'no longer pregnant'
Tian Tian was artificially inseminated in April and had been showing signs of pregnancy for several weeks
Edinburgh Zoo's female giant panda, Tian Tian, is no longer expecting a cub, it has been announced.
Experts said her hormone and behavioural signs indicated that she had conceived and carried a foetus until late term, but then lost it.
Tian Tian was artificially inseminated in April and had been showing signs of pregnancy for several weeks.
However, the zoo said she had now returned to the eating and behavioural patterns of a non-pregnant panda.
Chris West, chief executive officer for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said: "Such a loss has always been in our minds as a very real possibility, as it occurs in giant pandas as well as many other animals, including humans.
"What we have achieved, considering we have had giant pandas for less than two years, is immense” says Chris WestRoyal Zoological Society of Scotland
"Our dedicated team of keepers, veterinary staff and many others worked tirelessly to ensure Tian Tian received the best care possible, which included remote observation and closing the panda enclosure to visitors to give her quiet and privacy.
"We are conducting a detailed review of the scientific data collected, but I am totally confident that we did everything it was possible to do."
The panda enclosure will remain closed until the end of the week to give Tian Tian time to get back into her routine and to give her keepers a chance to recuperate.
Keepers insist Tian Tian received the best care possible and remain confident she will eventually give birth.
Mr West added: "The majority of research centres and zoos with giant pandas around the world have not successfully bred until the third or fourth year.
Edinburgh Zoo's female giant panda, Tian Tian, is no longer expecting a cub, it has been announced.
Experts said her hormone and behavioural signs indicated that she had conceived and carried a foetus until late term, but then lost it.
Tian Tian was artificially inseminated in April and had been showing signs of pregnancy for several weeks.
However, the zoo said she had now returned to the eating and behavioural patterns of a non-pregnant panda.
Chris West, chief executive officer for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, said: "Such a loss has always been in our minds as a very real possibility, as it occurs in giant pandas as well as many other animals, including humans.
"What we have achieved, considering we have had giant pandas for less than two years, is immense” says Chris WestRoyal Zoological Society of Scotland
"Our dedicated team of keepers, veterinary staff and many others worked tirelessly to ensure Tian Tian received the best care possible, which included remote observation and closing the panda enclosure to visitors to give her quiet and privacy.
"We are conducting a detailed review of the scientific data collected, but I am totally confident that we did everything it was possible to do."
The panda enclosure will remain closed until the end of the week to give Tian Tian time to get back into her routine and to give her keepers a chance to recuperate.
Keepers insist Tian Tian received the best care possible and remain confident she will eventually give birth.
Mr West added: "The majority of research centres and zoos with giant pandas around the world have not successfully bred until the third or fourth year.
"New hormone research is beginning to indicate that lost pregnancies are more common in giant pandas than first thought, though at the moment no-one knows why."
The zoo is renting Tian Tian and male panda Yang Guang from China for around £600,000 a year, hoping a cub or cubs would bring in more visitors.
Some experts believe money spent on captive breeding would be better used to preserve the habitat of wild pandas.
The zoo is renting Tian Tian and male panda Yang Guang from China for around £600,000 a year, hoping a cub or cubs would bring in more visitors.
Some experts believe money spent on captive breeding would be better used to preserve the habitat of wild pandas.
London Zoo newborn Sumatran tiger cub found dead
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The cub was the "grandchild" of the last tiger born at the zoo
London Zoo's newborn Sumatran tiger cub has drowned, the zoo has confirmed.
Five-year-old Sumatran tiger Melati gave birth to the cub on 22 September after a six-minute labour. The cub was the first tiger to be born at the zoo for 17 years.
On Saturday, zookeepers could not see the cub on the den cameras and its body was later discovered on the edge of a pool inside the enclosure.
A post-mortem test conducted on Sunday confirmed the cub had drowned.
“To go from the excitement of the birth to this in three weeks is just devastating” says Malcolm FitzpatrickLondon Zoo
It is thought that Melati carried the cub outside the den, but keepers are unclear as to how the cub got into the pool as there are no cameras in the wider enclosure.
The cub was born six months after the opening of the "tiger territory", designed to encourage the endangered sub-species of tiger to breed.
Melati's pregnancy lasted 105 days and was kept secret by zookeepers, who maintained a careful watch on the first-time mother through hidden cameras so they would not disturb her.
The cub - which had not yet been named or sexed as it was so young - was the "grandchild" of the zoo's last tiger cub, Hari, the father of Melati.
London Zoo's Malcolm Fitzpatrick said: "We're heartbroken by what's happened.
London Zoo's newborn Sumatran tiger cub has drowned, the zoo has confirmed.
Five-year-old Sumatran tiger Melati gave birth to the cub on 22 September after a six-minute labour. The cub was the first tiger to be born at the zoo for 17 years.
On Saturday, zookeepers could not see the cub on the den cameras and its body was later discovered on the edge of a pool inside the enclosure.
A post-mortem test conducted on Sunday confirmed the cub had drowned.
“To go from the excitement of the birth to this in three weeks is just devastating” says Malcolm FitzpatrickLondon Zoo
It is thought that Melati carried the cub outside the den, but keepers are unclear as to how the cub got into the pool as there are no cameras in the wider enclosure.
The cub was born six months after the opening of the "tiger territory", designed to encourage the endangered sub-species of tiger to breed.
Melati's pregnancy lasted 105 days and was kept secret by zookeepers, who maintained a careful watch on the first-time mother through hidden cameras so they would not disturb her.
The cub - which had not yet been named or sexed as it was so young - was the "grandchild" of the zoo's last tiger cub, Hari, the father of Melati.
London Zoo's Malcolm Fitzpatrick said: "We're heartbroken by what's happened.
The cub was the first tiger born at London Zoo in 17 years
He added: "Melati can be a very nervous animal and we didn't want to risk putting her on edge by changing her surroundings or routines, in case she abandoned or attacked the cub.
"At the time we thought it was in the best interests of Melati and her cub to allow her continued access to the full enclosure as normal.
"We would do anything to turn back the clock and nobody could be more upset about what's happened than the keepers who work with the tigers every day.
"They are devoted to those tigers and are distraught."
He added: "Melati can be a very nervous animal and we didn't want to risk putting her on edge by changing her surroundings or routines, in case she abandoned or attacked the cub.
"At the time we thought it was in the best interests of Melati and her cub to allow her continued access to the full enclosure as normal.
"We would do anything to turn back the clock and nobody could be more upset about what's happened than the keepers who work with the tigers every day.
"They are devoted to those tigers and are distraught."
All text and images from the BBC news website
