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Edinburgh Zoo 'still waiting' for panda procreation

Tian Tian the Panda in her enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo on her ninth birthday. Credit: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Edinburgh Zoo says that hormone tests conducted on their female panda Tian Tian suggests that she is unfortunately still not ready to mate.

There is great anticipation that the pair of pandas will breed, with experts predicting the bears should go into season over the next few days.

Rachel Goddard from Edinburgh Zoo said "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 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"