Edinburgh Zoos Giant Pandas, Tian Tian and Yang Guang leave to head to China

The UK's only giant pandas have set off for China after leaving Edinburgh Zoo.

Tian Tian and Yang Guang departed the capital's airport for Chengdu at about 13:40 on Monday.

The animals were loaded aboard a Boeing 777 China Southern cargo plane in specially-built crates for the 13-hour flight.

It brings their 12-year loan to Scotland to an end after a breeding programme failed to produce a cub.

The pandas have been in isolation in Scotland since the start of November in a bid to lessen the risk of catching any diseases.

It is expected the animals will be quarantined for a brief period in China before being introduced to their new home in Sichuan province.

The pair have been in Scotland since December 2011.

Their loan was extended for an additional two years to make up for the zoo's closure during the Covid pandemic.

Conservationists had hoped female panda Tian Tian and male Yang Guang would breed while in Scotland.

However, the animals were unable to conceive despite several attempts.

The zoo and veterinarians from China made eight unsuccessful attempts at artificial insemination between the pair.

The last attempt was in 2021, after which the giant panda breeding programme was stopped.