Female panda at Edinburgh Zoo artificially inseminated

The female giant panda Tian Tian at Edinburgh Zoo was artificially inseminated early Thursday, said the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS).

"The procedure was carried out by the expert team of three veterinarians at RZSS, alongside Chinese colleague Dr. Wang Chengdong from the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP). Only semen from male panda Yang Guang was used during the procedure," said Iain Valentine, director of Giant Pandas for RZSS.

Natural mating is also to be attempted before the short breeding window comes to a close on Thursday afternoon, as both pandas remain extremely interested in one another. However, as Tian Tian's transition to peak (mating potential) was so rapid, it was a priority to move straight to artificial insemination first, Valentine noted.

Throughout Wednesday, Tian Tian remained very quiet and sleepy, but by 5 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) there was a behavioral shift. The results of hormone tests that came back at 7 p.m. local time (1900 GMT), carried out by the University of Edinburgh, confirmed ovulation had occurred, he added.

"Each individual panda is different and their pattern can vary from year to year. This is why we start hormone monitoring via urine samples so early and continually observe our female via CCTV (closed-circuit television) as the window approaches," Valentine said, adding: "Tian Tian is doing very well and everything went according to plan."

The panda enclosure will likely remain closed at Edinburgh Zoo until Sunday, March 29, according to a press release.

In 2013, Tian Tian became pregnant after artificial insemination, with the method being recommended by Chinese experts. During the breeding season, her behavior suggested she would not be responsive to Yang Guang, and putting them together potentially posed risk of injury. Tian Tian carried a fetus until a late term, but then lost it, according to the RZSS.

Edinburgh is the only city in Britain that houses pandas, after Yang Guang and Tian Tian arrived at Edinburgh Zoo on Dec. 4, 2011 from China for a 10-year exchange program.