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Edinburgh Zoo: Data suggests giant panda Tian Tian pregnant
Edinburgh Zoo has announced that its latest scientific data suggests Tian Tian the giant panda is pregnant and may give birth at the end of this month.
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Panda cam set up in Tian Tian prepares to give birth
As Tian Tian prepares to give birth, Edinburgh Zoo's giant panda is spending more and more in her private show den.
So staff have set up panda cam so anyone can watch her as she readies herself for motherhood. Watch it here.
Timeline of the Edinburgh Zoo pandas
Visitor numbers soared after the December 2011 arrival giant pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang at Edinburgh Zoo.
Now Tian Tian is pregnant and expected to give birth sometime soon, another chapter will open up for the popular pandas.
- December 4 2011: The two pandas arrive in Scotland on a Boeing 777F flight dubbed the "panda express."
- February 2012: The zoo says visitor numbers are up 200% thanks to the pandas. Around 70,000 people have seen Tian Tian and Yang Guang since their arrival.
- April 2012: The pandas are brought together for the first time in a "love tunnel" as Tian Tian is judged ready to mate. Three days later the zoo says "sparks flew" between the pandas but they failed to mate.
- April 2013: The zoo announces Tian Tian was artificially inseminated after she displayed behaviour not "conducive to mating."
- October 2013: Zoo officials say Tian Tian's behaviour indicates she is not pregnant.
- April 2014: Tian Tian was artificially inseminated again after she failed to mate naturally.
- August 2014 Zoo officials say scientific data suggests Tian Tian is now pregnant and could give birth before the end of the month.
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Edinburgh Zoo: Data suggests giant panda is pregnant
Edinburgh Zoo has announced that its latest scientific data suggests Tian Tian the giant panda is pregnant and may give birth at the end of this month.
Iain Valentine, director of giant pandas, said: "It is very likely that we will not know 100% if Tian Tian is pregnant until she gives birth; however very new scientific tests will give us a strong indication".
Last year, Tian Tian became pregnant through artificial insemination, but lost the cub at a late stage in her pregnancy.