Taipei panda artificially inseminated

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TAIPEI, Taiwan, March 18 (UPI) -- Zoologists in Taiwan say they artificially inseminated Yuan Yuan, one of Taipei's giant pandas, because she shows no interest in her partner, Tuan Tuan.

After finding Yuan Yuan to be in heat Friday evening, scientists collected sperm from Tuan Tuan and artificially inseminated her Saturday. Despite being sexually receptive, Yuan Yuan has thus far shown little interest in her companion, Xinhua reported.

A spokesman for the Taipei Zoo said zoologists would have to continuously monitor Yuan Yuan via ultrasound to determine whether or not she conceives, because pandas have very small fetuses.

The two pandas, whose names together mean "reunion" in Chinese, were a gift from the mainland three years ago.