Agence France-Presse (via InterAksyon.com) reports that a female giant panda donated by China to Taiwan in 2008 "gave birth to a cub on Saturday, July 6, the Taipei city government said." The birth was the result of artificial insemination.
According to the report, the female panda named Yuan Yuan showed signs of pregnancy in June after the Taipei Zoo carried out three artificial insemination sessions in March. Zookeepers and veterinarians initially hoped that mating between Yuan Yuan and her male panda partner, Tuan Tuan, would be successful, but it was not. The two pandas were given by China to Taiwan four years ago "amid improving ties between the two sides."
Taipei officials said the island "will be allowed to keep the cub as the panda couple is a gift, not a loan by China."
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