It is thought a late reabsorption of the foetus may have occurred.

On Monday, Edinburgh Zoo confirmed its female giant panda Tian Tian is no longer pregnant.

In a statement, the director of giant pandas for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, Iain Valentine, said the panda's hormone levels had retuned to normal confirming an end to her pregnancy.

He said there was no evidence of a miscarriage and instead a "late reabsorption of the foetus could have occurred".

“Although Tian Tian has not successfully given birth, it is important for her individual biology as a female giant panda and for the future of giant panda conservation across the globe that we tried," Valentine added.

Russell Cheyne / Reuters

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