When do giant pandas mate

Local reports say Ying Ying — in her oestrogen cycle — spent more time in the water and Le Le left more scent markings around the enclosure. On Monday morning, the pair were seen cuddling more intensely than usual and then finally did what comes naturally, much to the delight of park managers.

It is not yet clear if Li Li is pregnant but vets say hormone fluctuations and behavioural changes may give a clue by late June. He said a panda cub would contribute to the conservation of a vulnerable species. Once the lockdown ends, such a popular draw could also rescue the tourist resort, which has recently reported financial difficulties.

He spends much of his time scent-marking, playing in water, patrolling his yard and vocalizing to Mei Xiang. She also paces and spends time in the pools and water features in her enclosures. Generally, she does not spend very much time interacting with Tian Tian unless she is in estrus the very short window when she is able to conceive a cub.

Her vocalizations toward him become more friendly when she nears estrus. If they encounter a male, the female will raise her tail and walk backward toward him to indicate she is receptive to breeding. Mei Xiang will do this toward Tian Tian at the window between their yards.

Yes, she has in the past, but she was nursing a cub each time. Giant panda breeding season is typically from March to May. Mei Xiang is near the end of her reproductive life cycle. Even if Mei Xiang is an aging female, her hormones, vaginal cytology, and behaviors progressed in the same way as they have in past years, from the onset of breeding season until the day of the artificial insemination.

Hormone profiles observed during her pregnancy were also normal. At her current age of 22, Mei Xiang would be the oldest giant panda to give birth in the United States. The oldest giant panda to give birth to a cub on record was a year-old female panda in China. Behavioral cues are one way to determine when breeding season has arrived. Because the window when Mei Xiang is able to conceive a cub is very short 24 to 72 hours , endocrinologists at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute monitor the levels of estrogen and progesterone in her urine.

When they see her levels of estrogen rise, that means Mei Xiang is in estrus. After her estrogen levels peak, it indicates that she is ovulating. Reproductive physiologists also monitor physical changes that indicate Mei Xiang is getting ready to breed. Urine samples are regularly collected.

The samples are sent to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute for analysis weekly, but increase in frequency of analysis as Mei Xiang gets closer to estrus.

When she enters peak estrus, the team stays overnight to collect all of her urine in order to predict her ovulation. She tends to urinate in the same spots each day.

Giant pandas are solitary, and adults do not spend much time interacting outside of the breeding season. If we were to allow Mei Xiang and Tian Tian to spend time together before Mei Xiang was ready to breed, they would likely be aggressive toward each other.

In the wild, a female would avoid males until she is ready to breed. Mei Xiang is capable of conceiving a cub once she has ovulated after her estrogen levels have risen, peaked and started to fall. Scientists usually start to see Mei Xiang's estrogen levels rise for several days before they peak.

After they peak, her hormone levels usually return to normal within 72 hours. Time in the nursery is also a valuable tool for the veterinary staff to monitor the progress of the cubs making sure they are developing at the proper rate. Despite all of the challenges of breeding Pandas in captivity, the past 20 years have seen dramatic increases in the number of successful captive births.

Much of this success comes from the development of behavioral management strategies, guided by the application of scientific knowledge. There are over pandas now in captivity which is considered to be a very good number for sustaining the population.

Zhang, G. Zoo Biol. Link to Article. Snyder, N. Conservation Biology, — Owen, M. Swaisgood, R. Journal of Zoology, — McGeehan, L. Kleiman, D. Captive Breeding Program.