Zoo tries to impregnate giant panda live on Twitter
Zoo veterinarians and Li Desheng, an expert from China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Wolong, carried out the artificial insemination on Sunday after a failed mating between Mei, 13, and the zoo's male giant panda Tian Tian, 14.
If Mei is unable to reproduce this time, the likelihood of her becoming pregnant will drop to less than 10 per cent, according to research, raising the possibility of the zoo replacing her or Tian Tian.
The zoo will know later in the summer if the procedure has been a success.
The pair have only ever produced one cub, Tai Shan, in the 10 years they have been together. Tai Shan was born in July, 2005, and was sent to China in February 2010 to join a breeding programme.
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, who were both born in Wolong, Sichuan province, arrived at the zoo in December 2000 for an initial 10-year loan from China, at an agreed $10 million-a-year rate.
China, which extended the lease of the giant pandas to the zoo for another five years in 2011, has agreed to consider finding replacement if no cub is produced this time around.
There are around 1,600 giant pandas left in the wild and 330 in captivity.
Comments