Zoo holds its breath for panda birth

THE patter of tiny paws could soon be heard at Edinburgh Zoo after it emerged last night that Britain’s only female giant panda is believed to be pregnant.

Emails released yesterday by the Scottish government under freedom of information laws reveal that experts think Tian Tian’s due date might even be today.

Tian Tian and her wouldbe mate Yang Guang failed to mate naturally, so she has been artificially inseminated five times. Under a deal with China, any cub will be shown at the zoo for a year before being shipped to China as part of the country’s panda conservation programme.