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Panda enclosure closed amid pregnancy hopes
Tian Tian
Tian Tian's enclosure is now closed until further notice.

Keepers believe Tian Tian may be expecting a cub

The panda enclosure at Edinburgh Zoo is closed until further notice due to the possible pregnancy of giant panda Tian Tian.

Britain's only female panda was artificially inseminated for the third time earlier this year. Experts say that she did conceive, but they did not know for sure if she was pregnant.

Now keepers at the Zoo have closed off Tian Tian's enclosure in the hope of the arrival of a rare cub.

A statement on the Edinburgh Zoo website says:  "Please be aware that due to our giant panda Tian Tian's potential pregnancy, the panda enclosure is now closed until further notice and both her and Yang Guang's panda cams have also now been turned off. There is no further news at this stage.

"Many thanks to our visitors and members for their understanding during this exciting, but delicate period."

Tian Tian was artificially inseminated in March after two previous attempts failed to produce a panda cub.

The procedure was carried out by an expert team of three veterinary surgeons, together with Doctor Wang Chengdong from the China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Pandas. Only semen from the zoo's male giant panda Yang Guang was used during the procedure.

Tian Tian and Yang Guang arrived at Edinburgh Zoo in December 2011 and they are the first adult giant pandas to have ever come out of China.

Image (C) RZSS Edinburgh Zoo

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."