Ocean Park Dashes Panda Pregnancy Hopes

Ocean Park has confirmed that its giant panda Ying Ying is not pregnant, despite the fact she mated naturally with the park's male panda, Le Le, earlier this year.

Park staff have been trying to inseminate Ying Ying for a decade, so far without success. The natural mating, which is usually considered to have a higher chance of success, finally happened in April.

The park says Ying Ying had shown signs of pregnancy, including a reduced appetite and changes in hormone levels, since mid-July. But these symptoms had subsided gradually since late last month and her hormone levels have now returned to normal.

It says an ultrasound scan showed that Ying Ying is not pregnant.

The park says it's hopeful that the Ying Ying and Le Le will mate naturally again next year.

A panda pregnancy would have been a major boost to the park, which has been forced to close for most of the year due to the coronavirus pandemic and has hit financial problems, forcing it to seek a HK$5.4 billion bailout from the government in June.