Panda mating season has passed for the year and, alas, no baby black and white cubs will be born at the Adelaide Zoo.
Although their keepers cannot hide their disappointment, it was also an outcome that they expected for, given that both of the pandas were young and inexperienced. They said that, even in the wild, it would be the more mature, dominant, and more experienced animals would be able to successfully mate and breed.
According to their zoo keepers, giant pandas Wang Wang and Funi, although expressed interest in each other, did not successfully mate during the very limited fertility window of female pandas, which is only 48 hours once a year.
However, they are optimistic about their chances for next year's mating season. The zoo's acting senior panda keeper, Lucy Catt, said that their team arranged a series of dates between the pair, four days prior to Funi's fertility window. They said that the pandas got very close during those four days of introductions and interactions.
Catt shared the team's observations that Wang Wang displayed dominant behavior, which raises his potential to be a successful panda breeder. Funi as well showed submissiveness in allowing Wang Wang to mount her and hold her in place.
Apparently, the young pandas only had a few hiccups that lead to the unsuccessful mating; however, they were able to gain experience that will help them next year.
"The pandas, and our team, have learnt so much this year, and with a little more time and maturity we know a successful mating is possible," Catt said.
Plans for mating season next year will include another round of dates between the two pandas when Funi begins to ovulate. Should that still prove unsuccessful, they may opt to try at least rounds of artificial insemination in order to raise the chances of a panda pregnancy.
Pandas both in the wild and in captivity are extremely difficult to breed and other zoos around the world who have had pandas for ten years sometimes never see cubs.
Wang Wang and Funi have been on loan at the Adelaide Zoo from China for ten years since 2009. If they happen to successfully bear any babies, according to the loan agreement, the cubs will be sent back to China when they are 18 months.
