Search Here

Can giant pandas fake pregnancy to avail special treatment? Experts at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Centre in China are now pondering over this question, as one of their inmates returned to normal state after being 'pregnant' for two months.

In July the suspect mother, six-year old female giant panda Ai Hin showed prenatal signs like reduced appetitive and mobility convincing her caregivers she was pregnant. The news brought big cheer in the facility owing to low reproductive rates among captive giant pandas. Given the rarity of the occasion, it was decided Ai Hin's delivery would be broadcast live, The Independent reported. Two months on, experts say physiological tests and hormone levels have become normal, forcing them to conclude the pregnancy was phantom, dashing all hopes of broadcasting a panda cub's birth.

Though 'phantom pregnancies' are said to be common among endangered bears and pandas, animals showing such signs to benefit possess greater than average intelligence, even among smart animals like pandas, experts opined.  

NBC quoted an expert at the breeding center saying giant pandas are known to display prenatal signs like decreased activity when they are not pregnant. In this case however Ai Hin may have noticed extra care given to pandas at the facility when she showed such signs and may have decided to 'remain pregnant'.

"After showing prenatal signs, the 'mothers-to-be' are moved into single rooms with air conditioning and around-the-clock care. They also receive more fruits and bamboo, so some clever pandas have used this to their advantage to improve their quality of life," panda expert Wo Kongju said.

Pandas in the wild number about 1,600 while 300 are held in captivity, Xinhua said. Wild pandas are found in the mountains of Sichuan. Pandas in captivity have a low birth rate of 24 percent, which experts say is a threat to their survival.