http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-21015274
Edinburgh's female panda Tian Tian has been tested on her fertilizing ability before the spring mating season. This has been conducted by the Edinburgh's zoo chiefs. The results of the test will state when Tian Tian and her male partner will be put together. The test also states when her hormones will be best for mating.
Usually, in nature, pandas mate between march and may, but in this zoo, the mating period only lasts for a bit less than 2 days. The two pandas are also kept away from each other for the rest of the year.
The director of this panda project at Edinburgh Zoo states, that there will be a lot of attention drawn on how to synchronise the two pandas hormone cycles. "As seasonal breeders, panda hormones are dictated by light levels. The indoor lighting levels in their enclosures now simulate those of natural light levels, in line with sunrise and sunset."
They will also try to bring the two pandas slowly together, letting them start to smell each other and getting used to each other. Mr. Valentine says, this is an important aspect, because the female can state if the male is sexually mature enough by just smelling his scent. Also, the male is able to smell when the female is coming into season by the change in her scent.
I personally think this is an interesting aspect to know. Honestly, I do not know a lot about pandas, but hearing that they can basically just smell when their partner is ready to breed is fascinating. It takes a lot more for humans or other animals to be sure that their partner wants to mate with them, but pandas just use their smelling sense. I think it would be interesting to know a little more about pandas and how they live, because we, living in europe, do not get to know or learn a lot about pandas.
I knew the part about scent but what caught my attention was 'in nature, pandas mate between march and may, but in this zoo, the mating period only lasts for a bit less than 2 days'. That sounded a bit creepy. Especially because they later said that they would slowly bring them together, but you can't really do it too slowly if you only have two days. It's also kinda sad how they separate them afterwards. I guess the pandas don't really care too much, but I'm not exactly sure that that's how it happens in nature either.
ReplyDeleteI think it is interesting how they are trying to synchronize the lighting and hormone cycles together in order to get more success in breeding. Panda are mainly solitary, until mating season. So, this method they are using makes good sense. it is just sad for us to think about being more social beings.
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