Two giant pandas heading to UK zoo for first time in 17 years
Love pandas? Get excited! Because two giant pandas from China are heading to the UK later this year.
The cute and cuddly eight-year-old couple, Tian Tian (meaning sweet honey), and her boyfriend Yang Guang (meaning sunshine), are set to become the main attraction at Edinburgh Zoo.
The pair will live at the zoo on loan from the Chinese government for 10 years, making them the first giant pandas in a UK zoo for 17 years.
The historic agreement between the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Society hopes to see the pair breed during their stay in Edinburgh.
The Chinese government will own any cubs born to the couple, and the pair will go home once they are past breeding age.
The team from Edinburgh Zoo this weekend travelled to Bifengxia Panda Base in Ya'an, where the bears are being cared for, and spent three days with local experts.
The bears will be studied by scientists from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland to discover more about their genetics, immune systems and choice of food.
Edinburgh Zoo's Alison Maclean said: 'It is a truly amazing experience to come face to face with these incredible animals and meeting Tian Tian and Yang Guang for the first time is a moment I will remember forever.'
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