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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Edinburgh zoo says giant pandas may still be two days from mating | Edinburgh zoo says giant pandas may still be two days from mating |
| (4 months later) | |
| Edinburgh zoo has judged that its pair of giant pandas may still be two days away from their 36-hour breeding window, despite apparent signs that the female Tian Tian would be ready to mate late on Tuesday. | Edinburgh zoo has judged that its pair of giant pandas may still be two days away from their 36-hour breeding window, despite apparent signs that the female Tian Tian would be ready to mate late on Tuesday. |
| In a statement, the zoo said it was still waiting for Tian Tian to reach her full sexual peak and was unsure when that would happen. | In a statement, the zoo said it was still waiting for Tian Tian to reach her full sexual peak and was unsure when that would happen. |
| The zoo played down expectations of an immediate coupling by saying that it might not be until Friday that the love tunnel between the pandas' enclosures is opened and Tian Tian is introduced to Yang Guang to take advantage of the brief, annual opportunity to procreate. | The zoo played down expectations of an immediate coupling by saying that it might not be until Friday that the love tunnel between the pandas' enclosures is opened and Tian Tian is introduced to Yang Guang to take advantage of the brief, annual opportunity to procreate. |
| A spokeswoman said this uncertainty was normal with pandas. | A spokeswoman said this uncertainty was normal with pandas. |
| "We continue to monitor her hormones and behaviour, and all is heading in the right direction," she added. "Professor Wang, our Chinese expert, believes our female panda could either suddenly progress very quickly from this stage, or enter the 36-hour breeding window after a slow but continuous rise in hormone levels on either Thursday or Friday of this week." | "We continue to monitor her hormones and behaviour, and all is heading in the right direction," she added. "Professor Wang, our Chinese expert, believes our female panda could either suddenly progress very quickly from this stage, or enter the 36-hour breeding window after a slow but continuous rise in hormone levels on either Thursday or Friday of this week." |
| She added: "We will not attempt to introduce the two pandas until we reach this stage. It is all very normal and all part and parcel of giant pandas – it's just really a waiting game now." | She added: "We will not attempt to introduce the two pandas until we reach this stage. It is all very normal and all part and parcel of giant pandas – it's just really a waiting game now." |
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