Pandas fail to seal the deal

Two giant pandas at Britain's Edinburgh Zoo have failed to mate.

Yang Guang and Tian Tian had a limited 36-hour window of fertility to seal the deal and despite "natural sparks" flying between the pair, they failed to do the business.

Iain Valentine, director of research & conservation at the zoo, said in a statement: "Each time the pair met we saw a huge amount of eagerness and attraction between Tian Tian and Yang Guang.

"There was lots of vocalisation and encouragement from our female and physical contact between the two. He mounted her several times, however full mating did not occur."

The couple will not be able to try to mate again until 2013 as female pandas are only in season for 36 hours a year.