A giant panda on loan to the Toronto Zoo is showing signs that she may be pregnant, weeks after she was artificially inseminated.
The Toronto Zoo published a new video to YouTube on Tuesday, which zoo representatives said suggests the bear is "nesting."
The video shows the panda building a nest of hay, and rubbing it on her head with her paws. She then rolls on to her side and back while moving the hay around into a pile.
Er Shun, a 6-year-old giant panda on loan from China, was artificially inseminated on April 27, when she went into heat. At the time, her 5-year-old partner Da Mao showed no interest in breeding.
Anticipating Da Mao's lack of interest, the zoo had semen from two other pandas shipped to Toronto, the first time semen had been sent to North America from China.
Though there was no guarantee that the insemination will be successful, zoo officials said that the success rate is typically about 60 per cent.
Giant pandas have a gestation period of between 87 days and 186 days, and as a result, the zoo staff will not know for sure if she's pregnant until about 20 days before she will give birth, the zoo said.
Meanwhile, staff is monitoring Er Shun daily for signs of unusual behaviour. In the days leading up to a potential birth date, they will give the bear an ultrasound, hoping they will be able to see a fetus.
