Sunday, April 15, 2012

Britain's pandas 'hit it off' but fail to mate



Britain's only giant pandas failed to mate during their 36-hour window of opportunity, the Edinburgh Zoo said Thursday. It was "close, but no cigar", the zoo said, after Yang Guang (Sunshine) mounted female panda Tian Tian (Sweetie) several times, without full mating taking place. The pandas are spending 10 years on loan in the Scottish capital following years of diplomatic negotiations with China that culminated in them arriving in December. But female pandas ovulate only once a year, with a 36-hour window to fall pregnant and although "the furry pair have hit it off," the clock has run out for the pair this time, the zoo said.

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