Are There Pandas in Edinburgh Zoo?


One of the most popular Zoos in the UK is the Edinburgh Zoo. If giant pandas are in the UK, some will be at this Zoo. 

So, you might want to know if there are giant pandas in Edinburgh Zoo too.

The answer is YES. There are pandas in Edinburgh zoo. In fact, the Edinburgh Zoo is the only zoo in the UK currently with giant pandas.

There are two pandas in the Zoo – Yang Guang (Male) and Tian Tian (Female). 

Moreover, there’s so much to learn about these giant pandas. Keep reading as we discuss this panda couple in Edinburg Zoo.

Meet Yang Guang and Tian Tian?

Yang Guang and Tian Tian are both adult giant pandas currently living in the Edinburgh Zoo. However, they’re not the first-ever giant pandas in the UK.

In addition, they arrived at Edinburgh Zoo from China in December 2011. The giant pandas were about 8 years old—already mature.

They’re also very popular and draw a large crowd every day. So, if you’re planning on visiting them, it’s likely you’re going to stand in a queue.

They came to Edinburgh Zoo through the process of panda diplomacy. This was a 10-year loan agreement with China.

However, in 2021, the Zoo renewed the contract but this time it was just for an extra two years in the Zoo. Afterward, the two pandas will go back to China.

Is There a Baby Panda at Edinburgh Zoo?

No, there’s no baby giant panda at Edinburgh zoo. In addition, the panda couple in the zoo has not had a baby since they came.

Breeding naturally hasn’t been successful as well as artificial insemination. All of the 8 attempts of breeding artificially have been unsuccessful.

However, you should know that Tian Tian had twin cubs on August 7, 2009. But, this was in China and not in Edinburgh Zoo. 

They were twin cubs – Shen Wei (male) and Bo Si (female). Moreover, she’s remained without any baby in Edinburgh Zoo.

Edinburgh Zoo Live Cam

The Edinburgh zoo panda cam is a live stream of the giant pandas in the zoo. Click HERE to view the Edinburgh Zoo panda cam.

So, in cases where visitors are not able to visit the zoo, the panda cam is always an alternative.

People can get to see the pandas live but online! However, one such case that restricted people from coming to the zoo was the pandemic in 2020.

Moreover, it didn’t stop people from seeing these pandas as the panda cam was available. At that time, the panda cam was so popular and was played more than 6.1 million times.

However, you will mostly see the male panda, Yang Guang in the panda cam. The two don’t stay together as pandas are solitary animals.

On the Panda cam, you’ll see him mostly eating lots of bamboos. And if not bamboo, he’ll probably be taking long lazy naps. 

Just imagine him sleeping without knowing millions of people are watching him online.

However, there are cases where Yang Guang is moved to do some routine panda work. This is when the female, Tian Tian can then take his place on the panda cam.

How to get Tickets to Edinburgh Zoo?

You can purchase tickets online very quickly and easily. You can do this on the zoo’s website with these few simple steps:

Step 1: Visit the Ticket page on the Zoo’s website.

Step 2: Choose your visiting date – today, tomorrow, or any other date.

Step 3: Select a timeslot on the day of your visit (available options are from 10:00 AM – 1:30 PM).

Step 4: Select the number of tickets you’d like to book.

Step 5: Review your booking summary. Confirm and continue.

Step 6: Enter your personal info i.e. Name, contact details, address, billing information, etc.

Step 7: Make your payments (VISA, MasterCard, Diners Club, and JCB). Afterward, confirm card details. Click only once!

Edinburgh Zoo Information:

Address: Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, 134 Corstorphine Rd, Corstorphine, Edinburgh EH12 6TS, United Kingdom

Phone No.: +44 131-334-9717

Website: edinburghzoo.org.uk

Final Thoughts

To conclude, there are giant pandas in Edinburgh Zoo. They are two adults—Yang Guang (male) and Tian Tian (female).

Moreover, there are no baby pandas in the Zoo. They’ve never had one as there has been no successful breeding in the Zoo.

Edinburgh Zoo also has a panda cam on their website. This way, many can view these pandas if they can’t visit the zoo.

You can also read the full article – “What Zoos Have Giant Pandas”. In the article, you’ll learn about other zoos around the world with giant pandas.