Getting a panda to have a baby is a pretty huge event, and when one finally gets pregnant, a zoo will do everything in their power to make sure she has a healthy, happy cub.
That means they go above and beyond, and in general will ensure that she's treated like queen bee during her term. It seems that one panda in particular noticed that extra bit of care and decided that she'd rather like to have that, so faked a pregnancy in order to get nicer grub and round the clock care.
According to The Independent, experts at a breeding center in the Sichuan province believe six-year-old Ai Hin learned that she could get all the extra benefits given to pregnant pandas without having to give birth, making her pretty clever indeed.
Pic via Bild.de
Wu Kongju, an expert in pandas from centre said that while it could have been a "phantom pregnancy", pandas who appear to be pregnant get special attention. They get moved into air-conditioned rooms on their own and "also receive more buns, fruits and bamboo, so some clever pandas have used this to their advantage to improve their quality of life".
Ai Hin had shown signs of pregnancy, including a reduced appetite and mobility, which led them to suspect she was in line to give birth, and had even scheduled her in for the first panda delivery to be live streamed online. However, after two months her behaviour returned to normal and tests revealed she was not with child, so the whole thing has been called off.
Via The Independent