MEMPHIS, Jan. 23 (UPI) -- Memphis Zoo officials said they're attempting to change a giant panda's fertility cycle with an eye toward producing a cub.
Ya Ya's estrus -- her fertile cycle -- is supposed to occur between March and May, but for several years, it has come around Thanksgiving time, The (Memphis) Commercial Appeal reported Sunday.
Although Ya Ya has been inseminated by her mate, Le Le, she has had only a couple of unsuccessful pregnancies, the newspaper said.
"We realized we had some emergency lights inside that were putting out a little more light than they should, and we've adjusted that," said Matt Thompson, curator of mammals, adding they have also lowered the thermostat in Ya Ya's environment.
The excessive warmth and light might have signaled spring to Ya Ya's system, sending her into her fertility period months too early.
"We talk to the Chinese, too. In fact, we submitted our plan to change her environment and they certainly thought that it sounded appropriate," Thompson said.
In case Ya Ya again goes into estrus at the wrong time of the year, the zoo has frozen bamboo shoots, the young vegetation pregnant pandas normally would eat, rather than mature bamboo, the newspaper said.
Three other zoos in the United States have giant pandas: the National Zoo in Washington, Zoo Atlanta and the San Diego Zoo. All the animals are the property of China, The Commercial Appeal reported.
