Tian Tian was artificially inseminated after she failed to mate with male Yang Guang during breeding season.

RZSS

The panda at Edinburgh Zoo is "no longer pregnant" after her hormone levels have returned to normal.

Tian Tian was artificially inseminated after she failed to mate with male Yang Guang during the breeding season in April.

Experts at the zoo confirmed she was pregnant in August, with the cub due by the end of that month.

On Monday, keepers said her hormone levels have now returned to normal and she is not pregnant.

They said she did not have a miscarriage and it is thought she reabsorbed the foetus.

Iain Valentine from Edinburgh Zoo said: "Tian Tian’s hormone levels have now returned to normal, so we can confirm that she is no longer pregnant.

"Panda reproduction and biology is complex; all data gathered since conception took place pointed to a pregnant panda likely to carry to full term, sadly this did not happen. There is no evidence she has had a miscarriage, so late reabsorption of the foetus could have occurred.

"Although Tian Tian has not successfully given birth, it is important for her individual biology as a female giant panda and for the future of giant panda conservation across the globe that we tried. We will also be reviewing all our data and procedures from this year and last.

"The team continue to monitor Tian Tian and she is in great health. The specialist team here and international colleagues will thoroughly review every aspect of how we care for her."

The panda enclosure has reopened on Monday.

The zoo later said it will attempt to breed its giant pandas again next year.

Mr Valentine said: "First we need to make sure that Tian Tian and Yang Guang are in great condition.Tian Tian still needs to get back into a routine which will take a few months and then from about the shortest day we will start to monitor her again for breeding.

"So it's only around three months until we start monitoring, and another three months until we're back into the breeding season, there's still lots of work to do but hopefully next year it will all come together."

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