UK’s only pandas, Tian Tian and Yang Guang, return to China after 12 years without conceiving at the Edinburgh zoo

The UK's only resident giant pandas, Tian Tian and Yang Guang, have embarked on their journey back to China after a 12-year stay at the Edinburgh Zoo, during which they failed to conceive a cub. The zoo had high hopes that the female panda, Tian Tian ('Sweetie'), and the male, Yang Guang ('Sunshine'), would successfully breed during their stay. Despite the creation of a unique tartan in their honour, the pandas did not conceive.

Simon Girling, the head of veterinary services at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, expressed sadness at their departure. He described the pandas as lovely individuals with charming personalities, and noted that the zoo staff had grown quite attached to them. The pandas were transported in metal crates to the airport, where they were loaded onto a cargo plane with a supply of bamboo for their journey. Upon their arrival in China, they will undergo a quarantine period before being relocated to a sanctuary in Chengdu, the capital of China's Sichuan province.

Tian Tian and Yang Guang arrived at the Edinburgh Zoo in December 2011 as part of a 10-year agreement between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. This agreement was later extended by two years. During their stay, the pandas became quite popular, and a special tartan was created in their honour. However, it soon became apparent that the pandas were not inclined to breed. Despite eight attempts at artificial insemination, the pandas did not conceive. The breeding programme was halted in 2021 after Yang Guang was treated for testicular cancer.