Panda fakes pregnancy to receive better facilities

Her handlers suggested the panda adapted her behaving after witnessing the special treatment given to other expectant mothers.

Yuan, one of a pair given to Taiwan as gifts by the Chinese mainland, had shown signs of pregnancy such as loss of appetite, thickening of the uterus and increased fecal progesterone concentration since June 11. They are among the most popular attractions at the zoo.

However, experts flown to Taiwan from the Chinese mainland determined through an ultrasound that she was not pregnant, and the signs of her pregnancy are already returning to normal.

Additional perks include air conditioning, extra helpings of food and more personal attention from handlers.

As a result she was moved to a private air-conditioned room and given round-the-clock care, as well as receiving more fresh fruit and bamboo.

Yuan Yuan was gifted to Taiwan along with partner Tuan Tuan by the Chinese government in 2008.

It is not the first time that keepers have speculated a “phantom pregnancy” – common occurrences among pandas – might be deliberate.

Experts believe clever pandas display behavior similar to pregnancy to improve their quality of life after noticing the difference in treatment they receive.

Wu Kongju, an expert at the centre where Ai Hin was kept, told Xinhua state news agency at the time he believed some pandas use the preferential treatment given to mothers-to-be for their own advantage.

The panda gave birth to her only cub Yuan Zai in July 2013.

Together, their names “tuan yuan” roughly translate at “reunion”.

Last year, officials at a breeding centre in Sichuan province, China, believed a six-year-old female called Ai Hin was also trying to deceive her keepers.