Edinburgh puts failed panda breeding on hold

Edinburgh Zoo has announced it will not attempt to breed its giant pandas this year as keepers take time to study why programmes elsewhere have succeeded while they keep failing.

The Scottish team has been trying to mate Chinese pandas Tian Tian (sweetie) and Yang Guang (sunshine) both naturally and through artificial insemination since 2012.

During that time, zoos in France, Belgium, China and the US have all succeeded in producing cubs as part of a worldwide effort to conserve the threatened animals.

A spokesman said: “We very much hope Tian Tian has a cub in the future and will be thrilled if this happens.”