Adelaide Zoo’s giant pandas fail to mate, yet again

Staring at each other doesn’t make panda cubs, guys. It’s the Adelaide Zoo photo that just sums up, well, everything.

No amount of wine, candlelight or Barry White albums has been enough to save Adelaide’s most platonic couple – giant pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni.

The Bamboo Forest exhibit, which includes the two giant pandas as well as a pair of red pandas, has been closed for several weeks to give the pair some privacy.

But despite the constant attention of panda keepers, the pair refused t`o succumb to their alleged natural instincts.

Adelaide Zoo director Dr Phil Ainsley said keepers were disappointed but staying positive because of the prospect of future successful breeding seasons.

“A giant panda cub would be a wonderful achievement for the future of their species, which is vulnerable to extinction,” he said.

“But also after all the negativity of Covid, a cub really would have been great news and a boost for us all.

“However, it was not meant to be this year, but that’s not to say that it won’t happen. Both giant pandas still have good breeding years ahead of them.”

That’s not how it works … a picture tells a thousand words with Fu Ni (in the tree) and Wang Wang staring up at her. Picture: Zoos SA

The window for a successful mating between two giant pandas in the breeding season is very small, with the bamboo-eating mammals then returning to their solitary lifestyle.

“Our giant panda keepers, who love Fu Ni and Wang Wang dearly, had put so much effort into preparing the duo, including an exercise routine for Wang Wang to build up his strength,” Dr Ainsley said.

Fu Ni, up a tree in late July during her breeding season last year. Picture: Adrian Mann/ZoosSA

“This breeding season we had a keeper on duty around the clock to ensure all was well and to report findings.

“As giant pandas are not used to being together except for breeding, we did need to monitor them carefully especially at the beginning and end of the very brief window.

“The last thing we wanted was either giant panda to be hurt.”

With the breeding season over, the Bamboo Forest will reopen to the public with both pandas back in their own exhibits.

To make up for the constant lack of panda cubs in Adelaide, here are several videos of panda cubs, just to prove they can actually exist.