Panda at Scottish zoo said to be ill

EDINBURGH, Scotland, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- A male panda who recently arrived at the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland has been removed from public display because he has a case of colic, zoo officials said.

The public will see Yang Guang only occasionally over the next few weeks, the BBC reported Thursday.

Yang Guang and his mate Tian Tian arrived at the zoo in Scotland just a month ago, the first giant pandas to live in the United Kingdom for 17 years.

Yang Guang's indoor enclosure has been closed so he can recover undisturbed, zoo officials said, although he may be seen occasionally in his outdoor enclosure.

"It's not very serious but [colic] can cause some discomfort," Iain Valentine, director of research and conservation at the zoo, said.

"He's on medication to relieve this and we're mainly keeping him relaxed and indoors, although we expect he will go out sometimes to stretch his legs."

"Having discussed this with our colleagues in China, they reassure us [colic] is not uncommon in pandas," he said.

Tian Tian and Yang Guang will stay at the Edinburgh Zoo for 10 years and it is hoped they will eventually produce cubs, officials said.