Edinburgh Zoo breeding plans in jeopardy after male panda has testicles removed
Discussions over the future of the giant pandas breeding programme at Edinburgh Zoo will be held with China after vets were forced to remove the male bear’s testicles.
Keepers discovered tumours in Yang Guang, the UK’S only male giant panda, prompting swift surgery.
The 15-year-old animal, who arrived at the city zoo in 2011, is said to be “recovering well” from the operation, which took place on Saturday.
He and female bear Tian Tian landed in Edinburgh on a specially chartered flight seven years ago as part of a conservation breeding programme, which was halted earlier this year.
The zoo said the tumours had not been a factor in the failure of the pandas to produce a cub.
The pandas, rented from the Chinese government for ten years, are under a contract that stipulates Edinburgh must pay £600,000 a year for the pair.
It is understood any cubs born in the Scottish capital would be returned to China at the age of two, mimicking the age of natural dispersal in the wild.
Darren Mcgarry, head of living collections at the zoo, said it would discuss the next steps, including future breeding possibilities, with its partners in China over coming weeks.
He said: “We are pleased Yang Guang is recovering well.
“Testicular tumours have previously been reported in giant pandas.
“The tumours we removed developed recently, so they have not been a factor in Yang Guang and Tian Tian not having had a cub.”
The female bear Tian Tian, which means Sweetie, has failed to produce a cub despite repeated artificial inseminations since her arrival at the zoo in 2011.
Panda reproduction is notoriously difficult, partly due to the very short breeding window with ovulation occurring only once a year.
Staff had hoped Tian Tian would mate naturally with Yang Guang.
After her arrival at Edinburgh Zoo she had an unsuccessful mating season in 2012 and a decision was taken to artificially inseminate her using Yang Guang’s sperm.